ellipse

[/ɪˈlɪps/]
nounfemininepl: ellipses
elipse
1. A closed curve on a plane that surrounds two focal points, such that for all points on the curve, the sum of the distances to the two focal points is a constant; an oval shape
The orbit of Earth around the Sun is an ellipse, not a perfect circle.
A órbita da Terra ao redor do Sol é uma elipse, não um círculo perfeito.
2. In grammar and rhetoric, the omission of one or more words from a sentence that would complete the construction but whose absence is understood from context
In the sentence 'I like coffee and you tea,' there is an ellipse where 'like' is omitted before 'tea'.
Na frase 'Eu gosto de café e você de chá', há uma elipse onde 'gosto' é omitido antes de 'chá'.
The term 'ellipse' is primarily used in academic and technical contexts in both Brazil and the USA. In Brazilian mathematics education, it is a fundamental concept taught in geometry courses. The grammatical sense (ellipsis in English, elipse in Portuguese) is more commonly discussed in linguistic and rhetorical studies in both cultures.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
ovalovoidelliptical shape
Antonyms / Antônimos
circlepolygon

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
elipse
Standard term used in mathematics and geometry
São Paulo
elipse
Same as standard Brazilian Portuguese
Rio de Janeiro
elipse
Same as standard Brazilian Portuguese
Portugal
elipse
Standard European Portuguese; also used in linguistic contexts for the grammatical omission

Related Words

ellipticalellipsisfocieccentricitysemi-major axissemi-minor axis

Related Idioms & Phrases

elliptical reasoning - indirect or unclear way of explaining something
elliptical orbit - orbital path that is elongated rather than circular
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