elliptical

adjective
UK: /ɪˈlɪptɪkl/
US: /ɪˈlɪptɪkl/

  1. Shaped like an ellipse; oval.

    1. The Earth moves in an elliptical orbit.
    2. The table has an elliptical shape to fit the small breakfast nook perfectly, making it quite cozy.

  2. Of or relating to deliberate obscurity in speech or writing; using few words, sometimes so few that it's hard to understand.

    1. His elliptical comments confused me.
    2. The professor's explanation was elliptical, leaving many students puzzled by the complex concepts.

Synonyms

compressed concise oblong obscure terse abstruse oval

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "elliptical" in English means: Shaped like an ellipse; oval., Of or relating to deliberate obscurity in speech or writing; using few words, sometimes so few that it's hard to understand..

The phonetic transcription of "elliptical" is /ɪˈlɪptɪkl/ in British English and /ɪˈlɪptɪkl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "elliptical": compressed, concise, oblong, obscure, terse, abstruse, oval.

Example usage of "elliptical": "The Earth moves in an elliptical orbit.". More examples on the page.