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.