 3 definitions found
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
elliptic
adjective
1: containing or characterized by ellipsis; "the clause of
comparison is often elliptical"- G.O.Curme [syn: {elliptical}]
2: of a leaf shape; in the form of an ellipse
3: rounded like an egg [syn: {egg-shaped}, {elliptical}, {oval},
{ovate}, {oviform}, {ovoid}, {prolate}]
4: characterized by extreme economy of expression or omission
of superfluous elements; "the dialogue is elliptic and
full of dark hints"; "the explanation was concise, even
elliptical to the verge of obscurity"- H.O.Taylor [syn: {elliptical}]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Elliptic \El*lip"tic\, Elliptical \El*lip"tic*al\, adjective [Gr. ?:
cf. F. elliptique. See {Ellipsis}.]
1. Of or pertaining to an ellipse; having the form of an
ellipse; oblong, with rounded ends.
The planets move in elliptic orbits. --Cheyne.
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!
--Gilbert and
Sullivan (The
Mikado: The
More Humane
Mikado Song)
2. Having a part omitted; as, an elliptical phrase.
3. 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.
[PJC]
{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}.
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
72 Moby Thesaurus words for "elliptic":
Spartan, abbreviated, abridged, abstracted, aposiopestic,
bell-like, bell-shaped, bobbed, brief, brusque, campaniform,
campanular, campanulate, capsule, capsulized, clipped, close,
compact, compendious, compressed, concise, condensed, contracted,
crisp, cropped, curt, curtailed, cut, cut short, digested, docked,
elided, ellipsoid, elliptical, elongated, epigrammatic, gnomic,
laconic, mowed, mown, nipped, oblong, oblongated, oblongitudinal,
parabolic, pithy, pointed, pollard, polled, pruned, reaped,
rectangular, reserved, saucer-shaped, sententious, shaved, sheared,
short, short and sweet, short-cut, shortened, snub, snubbed,
succinct, summary, synopsized, taciturn, terse, tight,
to the point, trimmed, truncated
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