el·lip·ti·cal
i-ˈlip-ti-kəl 
e-
variants
or elliptic
i-ˈlip-tik
e-
1
: of, relating to, or shaped like an ellipse
2
a
: of, relating to, or marked by ellipsis or an ellipsis
b(1)
: of, relating to, or marked by extreme economy of speech or writing
(2)
: of or relating to deliberate obscurity (as of literary or conversational style)
plural ellipticals
1
: elliptical galaxy
In Hubble's scheme, galaxies are divided into ellipticals and spirals.—
Roberto G. Abraham et al.
Roberto G. Abraham et al.2
: elliptical trainer
Ellipticals move in a smooth, oval motion, like riding a bike standing up, and offer great features like your beloved treadmill.—Monique Savin
Monique SavinSynonyms
Examples of elliptical in a Sentence
Adjective
The moon follows an elliptical path around the Earth.
a writer with an elliptical style
Recent Examples on the WebAlison Willmore, Vulture, 4 June 2024
However, the moon's orbit is elliptical, so its distance from Earth varies.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 8 Apr. 2024
Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 7 June 2024
The formal experimentation is relegated to the editing and story structure, which unfolds in jagged ellipticals, mimicking a fickle, troubled mind.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for elliptical 
Adjective
Evil Does Not Exist The quietly wandering, elliptical quality of the early scenes in Ryūsuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist might feel like a departure from the Drive My Car director’s recent and best-known work.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 June 2024
However, the moon's orbit is elliptical, so its distance from Earth varies.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 8 Apr. 2024
Noun
The formal experimentation is relegated to the edit and story structure, which unfolds in jagged ellipticals, mimicking a fickle, troubled mind.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 7 June 2024
The formal experimentation is relegated to the editing and story structure, which unfolds in jagged ellipticals, mimicking a fickle, troubled mind.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for elliptical
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'elliptical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near elliptical
Cite this Entry
“Elliptical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elliptical. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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