ellipse Definition
- 1a regular oval shape, traced by a point moving in a plane so that the sum of its distances from two other points (the foci) is constant, or resulting when a cone is cut by an oblique plane that does not intersect the base.
- 2a closed plane curve generated by a point moving in such a way that the sums of its distances from two fixed points is a constant less than the distance between the points.
Using ellipse: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "ellipse" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The Earth's orbit around the Sun is an ellipse.
Example
The shape of the planet Mars is an oblate spheroid, which is an ellipse that has been flattened at the poles.
Example
The stadium has an elliptical shape.
ellipse Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with ellipse
an ellipse generated by revolving an ellipse about one of its axes
Example
The shape of the planet Saturn is an ellipse of revolution.
Example
The polar ellipse of a circle is a straight line.
an ellipse whose axes are perpendicular
Example
The shape of a basketball court is a rectangular ellipse.
Origins of ellipse
from French 'ellipse', from Latin 'ellipsis', from Greek 'elleipsis', meaning 'falling short'
Summary: ellipse in Brief
An 'ellipse' [ɪˈlɪps] is a regular oval shape traced by a point moving in a plane so that the sum of its distances from two other points (the foci) is constant. It can also be generated by a point moving in such a way that the sums of its distances from two fixed points is a constant less than the distance between the points. Examples include the Earth's orbit around the Sun and the shape of the planet Mars. 'Ellipse' extends into phrases like 'ellipse of revolution,' and 'rectangular ellipse.'
