elliptic
UK[ɪˈlɪptɪk]US[ɪˈlɪptɪk]
adj
Relating to or having the form of an ellipse.
adj
(of speech or writing) Using or involving ellipsis; deliberately leaving out words or information.
Morpheme Breakdown
ellips
ic
ellips
omission, ellipse
ic
adjective-forming suffix
Etymology
The word 'elliptic' originates from the Greek 'elleipsis', meaning 'a falling short' or 'omission', derived from the verb 'elleipein' ('to leave out, fall short'). This root was applied in geometry to describe an oval shape, an ellipse, which can be defined as a conic section that "falls short" of being a circle. The suffix '-ic', of Greek and Latin origin, is used to form adjectives. Consequently, the literal meaning 'pertaining to an omission' logically branches into its dual modern senses: the geometric shape related to an ellipse, and the grammatical style characterized by the omission of words.
Analysis
Structure: ellips (omission, ellipse) + ic (adjective-forming suffix)
- ellips: From Greek 'elleipsis', meaning 'a falling short, omission, defect', from 'elleipein' ('to fall short, leave out').
- ic: A suffix of Greek and Latin origin used to form adjectives meaning 'of, pertaining to, or characteristic of'.
Examples
The planet follows an elliptic orbit around its star.
His writing is often elliptic, requiring the reader to fill in the gaps.
The architect used an elegant elliptic arch in the design of the gateway.