as in oval
a shape that resembles a flattened circle
The teacher drew an ellipse on the chalkboard that intended to illustrate the moon's orbit around the Earth.
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Recent Examples of ellipse
These can be defined mathematically, with the key factor being the eccentricity: how much the ellipse deviates form a circle.
—
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 25 July 2025
The Oakley Ellipse 50th Anniversary pair, designed to reflect the ellipse of the Oakley logo, retains the brand's futurist aesthetic with the lens shape and curve, known at Oakley as the PhysioMorphic Geometry.
—Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
The moon’s orbital path around Earth is a slight ellipse, so there’s a near-point (perigee) and a far-point (apogee) every month.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
The above pic shows how the landing target for the rover, also known as Curiosity, has been changed: from an ellipse 20 kilometers by 25 kilometers, the new target is just 7 kilometers by 20 kilometers.
—IEEE Spectrum, 12 June 2012
See All Example Sentences for ellipse
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 25 July 2025
The Oakley Ellipse 50th Anniversary pair, designed to reflect the ellipse of the Oakley logo, retains the brand's futurist aesthetic with the lens shape and curve, known at Oakley as the PhysioMorphic Geometry.
—Cassell Ferere, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
The moon’s orbital path around Earth is a slight ellipse, so there’s a near-point (perigee) and a far-point (apogee) every month.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
The above pic shows how the landing target for the rover, also known as Curiosity, has been changed: from an ellipse 20 kilometers by 25 kilometers, the new target is just 7 kilometers by 20 kilometers.
—IEEE Spectrum, 12 June 2012
See All Example Sentences for ellipse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ellipse
Noun
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Scientists have discovered that before black holes collide with neutron stars and merge, these extreme stellar remnants can swirl around each other in oval orbits rather than in circular orbits.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
11 Mar. 2026
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Diamond face shapes, similar to their oval counterparts, have narrower foreheads and chins, with the widest point of their faces being at the cheekbones.—
Nicole Catanese,
InStyle,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Though the bigger executive rooms are the standout, the smaller single-room studios are equally beautiful, cost a little less, and sometimes come with their own easter eggs.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Mar. 2026
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Henry's parents, Dandy and Tyrion, are a new couple who seem uninterested in incubating their eggs, Sea Life Weymouth aquarist Charlotte Edge said.—
KYLE MELNICK THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Their crop tops and miniskirts were covered in plastic orbs, which were layered over nude fabric.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
11 Mar. 2026
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Still, those people who live in either of these two orbs will see prices go higher.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ellipse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ellipse. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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