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elliptical

elliptical

12 4.5
Having an oval shape like an egg
  • adjective
  • /ɪˈlɪptɪkəl/
translation icon : elíptico
  • Because Mars and the Earth move around the sun in elliptical orbits, the distance separating them at opposition varies.
  • elliptical shape
  • elliptical orbit
  • elliptical galaxy

My head is roughly, well, it's not really spherical, it's elliptical, right?

Examples

  • The Moon has entered an elliptical orbit.

    Moonfall (2022)

  • The Earth's orbit is slightly elliptical, which means for a few months a year we're a little bit closer to the sun.

  • The planets move in elliptical orbits rather than in circles and epicycles.

    Academic text (2003)

  • The spacecraft is now in elliptical orbit... with an apogee of 141 nautical miles and a perigee of 122 nautical miles.

    Capricorn One (1977)

  • The artist painted an elliptical shape that resembled an egg.

  • During the race, runners followed the elliptical track that looped around the field.

  • The garden features elliptical flower beds that add a unique touch to the landscape.

Synonyms

oval
vselliptical
38 1.0

Having a rounded shape that is slightly longer than a circle, like an egg

is a slightly more formal term for that rounded outline
egg-shaped
vselliptical
3 2.5

Having a shape like an egg

is a more neutral geometric description than that casual image
oval-shaped
vselliptical
1 3.0

A shape that is long and round like an egg

is the more technical description rather than everyday naming
ovoid
vselliptical
1 6.1

Having a rounded shape like an egg

is a broader term for any similar stretched round outline
elliptic
vselliptical
6.5

A shape like an egg or an oval

is the common word for a rounded, egglike outline
ovoidal
vselliptical
6.6

Shaped like an egg

is the neutral geometric descriptor rather than a natural comparison
oviform
vselliptical
  • Specialized
9.1

Shaped like an egg

is the everyday way to describe that same general shape

How Oval

elongated
9 4.5
elliptical
12 4.5
oval
38 1.0
circular
84 2.8

Surface Forms

elliptical positive
elliptic positive

Morphology

elliptical = elliptic (transparent) = elliptic + al

Clear and productive adjective formation from the base relating to an ellipse; meaning 'having an oval shape' is directly derived.

Etymology

Elliptical comes from the word ellipse, which describes a stretched circle like an egg, so it means 'oval' or rounded. That's why we call an oval mirror or stone 'elliptical'.