ELLIPTIC • DICCIONARIO INGLES.COM • Definition of Elliptic

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adjective

Elliptical, Elliptic adj.

Of or pertaining to an ellipse; having the form of an ellipse; oblong, with rounded ends. "The planets move in elliptic orbits." "The billiard sharp who any one catches, His doom's extremely hard He's made to dwell In a dungeon cell On a spot that's always barred. And there he plays extravagant matches In fitless finger-stalls On a cloth untrue With a twisted cue And elliptical billiard balls!"

Having a part omitted; as, an elliptical phrase.

Leaving out information essential to comprehension; so concise as to be difficult to understand; obscure or ambiguous; of speech or writing; as, an elliptical comment.

Elliptic chuck. See under Chuck.

Elliptic compasses, an instrument arranged for drawing ellipses.

Elliptic function. (Math.) See Function.

Elliptic integral. (Math.) See Integral.

Elliptic polarization. See under Polarization.

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Etymology of 'Elliptic'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Elliptic" Quotes from Famous Books

... certain poems in Dialogue form, which from their curious and elliptic character have been the subject of much discussion among scholars. Professor Oldenberg, in drawing attention to their peculiarities, had expressed his opinion that these poems were the remains of a distinct type of early Indian literature, where ...

— From Ritual to Romance • Jessie L. Weston

... The elliptic form of speech was sometimes adopted by Heldon Foyle in discussing affairs with one whose alertness of brain he could depend upon. Thornton twisted his grey moustache and his eye ...

— The Grell Mystery • Frank Froest