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
-
The label inside the oval places the stop date for most deliveries at April 10.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The pad at the back is a flat oval that helps keep the buds in place.—
Mark Knapp,
PC Magazine,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Someone with an egg allergy eating the rolls could suffer anything from discomfort to death, depending on the severity of the allergy.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
-
How long had that egg been in the fridge?—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The main lobby is dotted with glass orb lights hanging from the ceiling and cushy lounge chairs.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Images taken from inside the Orion capsule have shifted from solely highlighting the glowing spectacle of Earth as seen from a cosmic perspective to refocusing on the moon as the mission draws closer to the silvery orb.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ellipse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ellipse. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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