elliptically

adverb

el·​lip·​ti·​cal·​ly -tə̇k(ə)lē 

-tēk-, 

-li

1

: in an elliptical manner : in the shape or manner of an ellipse

moves elliptically about its orbit

2

a

: with omission of an element (such as one needed to complete a train of thought or speech) : without transition or logical connectives : cryptically, enigmatically

one might go elliptically … from talk of toothache to talk of ships storm-tossed at sea

—K. D. Burke

b

: with great economy of expression : concisely

this whole earlier empire-building clan … is described so eloquently and so elliptically

—M. D. Geismar

c

: in a passing or tangential way

even in the pieces upon which he impinges most elliptically

—Richard Watts

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