ELLIPTICAL


Meaning of ELLIPTICAL in English

el ‧ lip ‧ ti ‧ cal /ɪˈlɪptɪk ə l/ BrE AmE ( also el‧lip‧tic /-tɪk/) adjective

[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Greek ; Origin: elleiptikos , from elleipein ; ⇨ ↑ ellipsis ]

1 . having the shape of an ellipse:

Kepler published his discovery of the elliptical orbits of planets in 1609.

2 . elliptical speech or writing is difficult to understand because more is meant than is actually said:

The language is often elliptical and ambiguous.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.