Added 8 October 2026
ellipsis
/ɪˈlɪp.sɪs/ noun
Latin root: ellīpsis Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about ellipsis at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
A mark consisting of multiple full stops (with or without spaces), used to indicate omitted, missing, or illegible words; or (in mathematics) that a pattern continues.
The ellipsis in 1, 2, 3, ..., 8, 9 means that the numbers 4, 5, 6, and 7 are not explicitly included, but are considered to be part of the pattern.
- The omission from a clause of a word or phrase that is nevertheless inferred using the context of the remaining element.
- The omission of scenes in a film that do not advance the plot.
Origin
Unadapted borrowing from Latin ellīpsis, from Ancient Greek ἔλλειψις (élleipsis, “omission”). Doublet of ellipse.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)