Word
ellipse
Phoneticsel·lipse, stress on the second syllable
US/ɪˈɫɪps/
UK/ɪlˈɪps/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a shape like a long, flattened circle. You see this shape when you look at a circle from an angle or when you look at the path planets take around the sun.
n. a regular oval shape, traced by a point moving in a plane so that the sum of its distances from two other points is constant.
Examples
“The moon travels around the Earth in an ellipse.”
“The architect designed the park's central fountain in the shape of a perfect ellipse to fit the narrow space.”
“Kepler's first law of planetary motion states that the orbit of every planet is an ellipse with the Sun at one of the two foci.”
Examples
simple
“The moon travels around the Earth in an ellipse.”
contextual
“The architect designed the park's central fountain in the shape of a perfect ellipse to fit the narrow space.”
complex
“Kepler's first law of planetary motion states that the orbit of every planet is an ellipse with the Sun at one of the two foci.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “ellipse” in context.
Verb
01. construct ellipse
“Architects used software to construct a precise ellipse for the stadium roof.”
verb + noun
02. define ellipse
“Mathematically, two focal points define an ellipse.”
verb + noun
03. draw ellipse
“You can draw an ellipse by using two pins and a piece of string.”
verb + noun
04. ellipse intersects
“The graph shows where the ellipse intersects the vertical axis.”
noun + verb
05. ellipse represents
“In this diagram, the ellipse represents the range of possible outcomes.”
noun + verb
Adjective
06. elongated ellipse
“The comet follows a highly elongated ellipse around the sun.”
adj + noun
07. geometric ellipse
“Students were asked to calculate the area of a geometric ellipse.”
adj + noun
08. perfect ellipse
“The planet's orbit is not a perfect circle, but a perfect ellipse.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. axis of ellipse
“The major axis of the ellipse determines its total length.”
noun + prep + noun
10. focus of ellipse
“Each focus of the ellipse is located along the central line.”
noun + prep + noun
11. area of an ellipse
“The formula for the area of an ellipse is slightly different from that of a circle.”
12. form a perfect ellipse
“The dancers moved in unison to form a perfect ellipse on the stage.”
Usage
Commonly used in geometry and astronomy to describe curved paths and symmetrical ovals.
Real-World Examples
“The central space is simply a regular ellipse, and the walls that surround it are vertical.” “Think about an egg and you’ll probably conjure up an ellipse that’s slightly fatter at one end—the classic chicken egg.” “All ellipses have an interesting property - they have two focus points.” “I stopped using ellipses when I became convinced that no discourse should ever be suspended” Etymology
From French ellipse, a term borrowed into English in the mid-16th century. It stands as a doublet of ellipsis, both words tracing back to a common origin in classical geometry and grammar.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/ellipse