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 WebStephen J. Beard, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2024
In other words, this celestial event is a great time to explain that the moon's orbit around Earth is elliptical or oval-shaped.
—Mia Taylor, Parents, 16 Oct. 2024
Lizzy Alspach, Baltimore Sun, 16 July 2024
From ellipticals to stair steppers to treadmills, there’s something for every type of worker.
—Christopher Murray, Fox News, 2 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for elliptical 
Adjective
Images of the giant red storm, captured over 90 days from December 2023 to March 2024 by the Hubble Space Telescope, were compiled and aligned into a time-lapse that shows the storm's elliptical shape oscillating and jiggling.
—Stephen J. Beard, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2024
In other words, this celestial event is a great time to explain that the moon's orbit around Earth is elliptical or oval-shaped.
—Mia Taylor, Parents, 16 Oct. 2024
Noun
The free, wheelchair-accessible machines include stationary bikes, leg presses and ellipticals.
—Lizzy Alspach, Baltimore Sun, 16 July 2024
From ellipticals to stair steppers to treadmills, there’s something for every type of worker.
—Christopher Murray, Fox News, 2 July 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 31 Oct. 2024.
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