# elliptic
## English
### Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἐλλειπτικός (elleiptikós), from ἐλλείπω (elleípō, “I leave out, omit”). By surface analysis, ellipse +‎ -tic.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɪˈlɪptɪk/
* Audio (Southern England):(file)

### Adjective

elliptic (not comparable)
* (geometry) Of or pertaining to an ellipse.
** 1705, George Cheyne, “Of the Physical Laws, and the Uniform Appearances of Nature. Law III.”, in Philosophical Principles of Natural Religion: […], London: […] George Strahan […], →OCLC, § XXIV, page 39:Novv ſince the Planets move in Elliptick Orbits, in one of vvhoſe foci the Sun is, and by a Radius from the Sun deſcribe equal Area's in equal Times, vvhich no other Lavv of a Circulating Fluid, but the Harmonical Circulation can Account for, vve muſt find out a Lavv for the Paracentrical Motion, that may make the Orbits Elliptick.
** 1995, Patrick J. Roache, Elliptic Marching Methods and Domain Decomposition, page 1:In this chapter, the history of solving elliptic problems by direct marching methods is reviewed.
* (mathematics) Of or pertaining to a broad field of mathematics that originates from the problem of calculating arc lengths of an ellipse.
    elliptic integral
    elliptic function
    elliptic curve
* (mathematics, in combination, of certain functions, equations and operators) That has coefficients satisfying a condition analogous to the condition for the general equation for a conic section to be of an ellipse.
    elliptic partial differential equation
    elliptic operator
    elliptic regularity
* (botany, of leaves) Oval, with a short or no point.
* (linguistics) Of, or showing ellipsis; having a word or words omitted; elliptical.
** 2007, Karin Aijmer, “Idiomaticity in a cultural and activity type perspective: The conventionalization of routine phrases in answering-machine messages”, in Phraseology and Culture in English, page 331:The message, which is elliptic, could be spelled out as: (Hello) Olive. This is Julian. I am here until you want to ring me.

#### Synonyms

* (of or pertaining to an ellipse): elliptical

#### Coordinate terms

* (whose coefficients satisfy a condition): hyperbolic, parabolic

#### Derived terms

* bielliptic
* bi-elliptic transfer
* coelliptic
* elliptic curve
* elliptic function
* ellipticine
* elliptic integral
* ellipticity
* elliptic operator
* elliptic regularity
* elliptic spring
* hemielliptic
* hyperelliptic
* hypoelliptic
* isoelliptic
* semielliptic
* semi-elliptic
* subelliptic
* superelliptic
* ultraelliptic

#### Related terms

* elliptical
* elliptically

#### Translations
### Noun

elliptic (plural elliptics)
* An elliptical function, equation, path, etc.
** 1765, John Nichols, “[New Ænigmas, to be answered next Year.] (2.) Ænigma 192”, in The Gentleman’s Diary, or The Mathematical Repository; an Almanack […], London: […] [T]he Company of Stationers, page 45:The Planetary Paths I trace, / Exploring Realms of boundleſs Space; / Elliptics, Angles, Cubes, and Curves, / In me ſupply the Place of Nerves; […]
** 1807, Manuel Alvarez Espriella [pseudonym; Robert Southey], “Mail Coaches.—Mr. Palmer ill-used.—Vicinity of Birmingham.—Collieries on fire.—Stafford.—Stone.—Newcastle-under-Line.—Punishments for Scolding.—Cheshire.—Bridgewater Arms at Manchester.”, in Letters from England, volume II, London: […] Longman, Hurst, Rees and Orme, […], page 137:Two men were smoking over a bottle of wine at one table; they were talking of parabolics and elliptics, and describing diagrams on the table with a wet finger; […]
** 1916, “Platinum Bill” [pseudonym; Wilfrid Robert Smith], “The Dreamster”, in Under the Northern Lights, Portland, Ore.: The Columbia Printing Co., stanza II, pages 32–33:Diagrams geometric, on parchmental scroll; / Circles, ovals, elliptics and such, / He sure figures will tell what is inside the knoll, / And tho far under ground, he’s in touch / With the hidden deposits of mineral ore, / And lost channels ’neath mountains he feels: […]
** 1987 December, Benjamin Fine, “Fuchsian embeddings in the Bianchi groups”, in Canadian Journal of Mathematics, volume XXXIX, number 6, page 1435:The fix points of hyperbolics and parabolics in F must lie on the fixed circle C, while the fixed points of elliptics in F are inverse with respect to C.