ellipsoid

[ ih-lip-soid ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Geometry. a solid figure all plane sections of which are ellipses or circles. Typical equation: ( x 2 / a 2 ) + ( y 2 / b 2 ) + ( z 2 / c 2 ) = 1.

ellipsoid

/ ˌɛl-; ɪˈlɪpsɔɪd; ɪlɪpˈsɔɪdəl /

1. a geometric surface, symmetrical about the three coordinate axes, whose plane sections are ellipses or circles. Standard equation: x ²/ a ² + y ²/ b ² + z ²/ c ² = 1, where ± a , ± b , ± c are the intercepts on the x-, y-, and z- axes
2. a solid having this shape
  the earth is an ellipsoid

ellipsoid

/ ĭ-lĭp′soid′ /

A three-dimensional geometric figure resembling a flattened sphere. Any cross section of an ellipsoid is an ellipse or circle. An ellipsoid is generated by rotating an ellipse around one of its axes.

From the French word ellipsoïde, dating back to 1715–25. See ellipse, -oid

Its form is that of an ellipsoid, with a major axis 26 millimetres in length, while the minor axis measures 11 millimetres.

Ellipsoid, a surface bearing the same sort of relation to a spherical surface as an ellipse bears to a circle.

We shall so select the law of contraction that the point S may be at the focus of the meridian section of the ellipsoid.

If therefore a little hump were discovered on the terrestrial ellipsoid, this discovery would be by itself of no great interest.

The roof was the long half of an ellipsoid, and the opening in it was over one of the foci of the ellipse of the floor.

April 24, 2024gallimaufry

[gal-uh-maw-free ]

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