Basic Details
Word: Elliptical
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Shaped like an ellipse, a stretched circle or oval; also, of speech or writing, leaving out words so that the meaning is hard to follow.
Synonyms: oval, egg-shaped
How to Spell Elliptical
Syllables: el - lip - ti - cal
Tricky part: There is a double l at the start but a single p. The vowel before cal is i, so elliptecal and eliptical are wrong.
Watch out for: eliptical, ellyptical, elliptecal, elipticle
Memory tip: Begin with ellipse, double l and single p, then swap its se for tical.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The cycle track around the stadium is elliptical, not perfectly round.
Example 2: An elliptical mirror hung above the old dressing table.
Example 3: Her reply was so elliptical that we had to guess what she meant.
Fun Fact
Johannes Kepler showed in 1609 that the planets move round the Sun in elliptical orbits, not perfect circles.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters:
e_lipt_cal
a) l, a
b) i, i
c) l, i
d) l, e
Show answer
c) l, i. Elliptical keeps the double l of ellipse, and the vowel before cal is i.
Mingle-Mangle
The jumbled letters in the sentence hide a word. Choose it.
The new swimming pool has an lpilcaeitl shape, much longer than it is wide.
a) political
b) elliptical
c) eclipse
d) practical
Show answer
b) elliptical. Three l's, a p and a c: only elliptical uses all ten letters.
Word Connection
Choose the word closest in meaning to elliptical in this sentence:
The architect drew an elliptical garden at the centre of the new campus.
a) oval
b) square
c) jagged
d) straight
Show answer
a) oval. An elliptical shape is a stretched circle, which is what oval means.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. An elliptical remark ____.
a) goes on for much longer than it needs to
b) leaves out words, so the meaning must be guessed
c) is shouted so loudly that everyone hears it
d) uses words that rhyme at the end of each line
Show answer
b) leaves out words, so the meaning must be guessed
2. The three dots ( ... ) that show words have been left out come from the same Greek word as elliptical. What are they called?
a) colon
b) eclipse
c) hyphen
d) ellipsis
Show answer
d) ellipsis
