ellipsis English · revision 1197

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɪˈlɪp.sɪs/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|ellipsis]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|ἔλλειψις|tr=élleipsis|t=a falling short, omission]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from ''elleípein'' “to fall short, leave out”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) [[af|grc|ἐν|λείπω|tr1=en|tr2=leípō|t1=in|t2=to leave]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) It is a doublet of [[ellipse]].^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In geometry, an [[ellipse]] (1570, or the 1560s in Etymonline; 1540 in Merriam-Webster).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The grammatical sense, the omission of words needed to complete a construction but understood from context, is recorded from 1612.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) In printing the word was used from 1824 for a dash marking omitted letters,^(OED 1989) and by 1867 for a mark or series of dots showing an omission.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1570 – an ellipse.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1612 – the omission of words in grammar.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1824 – a dash marking omitted letters.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1867 – dots marking an omission.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The omission of a word or words needed to complete a [[grammar|alt=grammatical]] construction but understood from the context.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An example of such an omission.^(AHD)

+ # A mark or series of dots (…) showing an omission or a pause in writing.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A sudden jump from one topic to another.^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(rare)'' An [[ellipse]].^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[elliptical]]

+ * [[elliptically]]

+ * [[ellipse]]

+ * [[eclipse]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}