ellipsis

[ ih-lip-sis ]
/ ɪˈlɪp sɪs /

noun, plural el·lip·ses [ih-lip-seez] /ɪˈlɪp siz/.

Grammar.
  1. the omission from a sentence or other construction of one or more words that would complete or clarify the construction, as the omission of who are, while I am, or while we are from I like to interview people sitting down.
  2. the omission of one or more items from a construction in order to avoid repeating the identical or equivalent items that are in a preceding or following construction, as the omission of been to Paris from the second clause of I've been to Paris, but they haven't.
Printing. a mark or marks as ——, …, or * * *, to indicate an omission or suppression of letters or words.

Origin of ellipsis

1560–70; < Latin ellīpsis < Greek élleipsis an omission, equivalent to el- (variant of en- en-2) + leip- (stem of leípein to leave) + -sis -sis

Example sentences from the Web for ellipsis

British Dictionary definitions for ellipsis

ellipsis
/ (ɪˈlɪpsɪs) /

noun plural -ses (-siːz)

Also called: eclipsis omission of parts of a word or sentence
printing a sequence of three dots (…) indicating an omission in text

Word Origin for ellipsis

C16: from Latin, from Greek elleipsis omission, from elleipein to leave out, from leipein to leave

Cultural definitions for ellipsis

ellipsis
[ (i-lip-sis) ]

A punctuation mark (...) used most often within quotations to indicate that something has been left out. For example, if we leave out parts of the above definition, it can read: “A punctuation mark (...) used most often ... to indicate....”