ellipsis

[ih-lip-sis] /ɪˈlɪp sɪs/
noun, plural ellipses
[ih-lip-seez] /ɪˈlɪp siz/ (Show IPA)
1.
Grammar.
  1. the omission from a sentence or other construction of one or more words that would complete or clarify the construction, as the omission of who are, while I am, or while we are from I like to interview people sitting down.
  2. the omission of one or more items from a construction in order to avoid repeating the identical or equivalent items that are in a preceding or following construction, as the omission of been to Paris from the second clause of I've been to Paris, but they haven't.
2.
Printing. a mark or marks as ——, …, or * * *, to indicate an omission or suppression of letters or words.
Origin
1560-70; < Latin ellīpsis < Greek élleipsis an omission, equivalent to el- (variant of en- en-2) + leip- (stem of leípein to leave) + -sis -sis
Examples from the web for ellipsis
  • Of course, the bit after the ellipsis might provide a reason for the lack of public denial.
  • Anything following an ellipsis is a friend of mine for the night.
  • All the buildings are arranged under a figure described by an ellipsis.
  • White lamp shades are refrains of the ellipsis motif.
  • She turned back to proofreading, finding a space that needed to be closed up between a word and an ellipsis.
  • The two share an affection for understatement and ellipsis, but they are otherwise completely different.
  • All that's left is an ellipsis to indicate that something is missing.
  • At the end of a sentence, an ellipsis should be written as.
  • ellipsis button, which accesses probabilistic inputs.
  • For example, there is an ellipsis button to select a school code.
British Dictionary definitions for ellipsis

ellipsis

/ɪˈlɪpsɪs/
noun (pl) -ses (-siːz)
1.
Also called eclipsis. omission of parts of a word or sentence
2.
(printing) a sequence of three dots (…) indicating an omission in text
Word Origin
C16: from Latin, from Greek elleipsis omission, from elleipein to leave out, from leipein to leave
Word Origin and History for ellipsis
n.

1560s, "an ellipse," from Latin ellipsis, from Greek elleipsis "a falling short, defect, ellipse," from elleipein "to fall short, leave out," from en- "in" + leipein "to leave" (see relinquish). Grammatical sense first recorded 1610s.

ellipsis in Culture
ellipsis [(i-lip-sis)]

A punctuation mark (&ellipsis;) used most often within quotations to indicate that something has been left out. For example, if we leave out parts of the above definition, it can read: “A punctuation mark (&ellipsis;) used most often &ellipsis; to indicate&ellipsis4;”

Encyclopedia Article for ellipsis

figure of speech characterized by the deliberate omission of a word or words that are, however, understood in light of the grammatical context. The device is exemplified in W.H. Auden's poem "This Lunar Beauty": But this was neverA ghost's endeavorNor finished this,Was ghost at ease;And till it passLove shall not nearThe sweetness hereNor sorrow takeHis endless look.

Learn more about ellipsis with a free trial on Britannica.com