as in oval
a shape that resembles a flattened circle
The teacher drew an ellipse on the chalkboard that intended to illustrate the moon's orbit around the Earth.
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Recent Examples of ellipse
Right now Bennu is 89 percent as far from the sun as Earth is, but to rendezvous with Earth, the spacecraft will have to follow an ellipse that takes it 40 percent farther out—almost as far from the sun as Mars is.
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IEEE Spectrum, 7 May 2021
The spacecraft traced a long ellipse, reaching lunar distance but then falling back to Earth and burning up on reentry over the Pacific Ocean.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Feb. 2024
In 2010, astrophysicists including Sean Raymond at the University of Bordeaux in France simulated the evolution of planetary systems and found that when one gas giant planet punts a sibling from their home system, as sometimes happens, the expulsion stretches the survivor’s orbit into an ellipse.
—Charlie Wood, WIRED, 31 Dec. 2023
At around 125 miles in altitude, mission controllers would adjust the ISS’s trajectory, tweaking the rocket’s burn to reshape the station’s roughly circular orbit into an ellipse, with its closest earthward point, or perigee, perhaps 90 miles above the planet.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 21 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for ellipse 
IEEE Spectrum, 7 May 2021
The spacecraft traced a long ellipse, reaching lunar distance but then falling back to Earth and burning up on reentry over the Pacific Ocean.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Feb. 2024
In 2010, astrophysicists including Sean Raymond at the University of Bordeaux in France simulated the evolution of planetary systems and found that when one gas giant planet punts a sibling from their home system, as sometimes happens, the expulsion stretches the survivor’s orbit into an ellipse.
—Charlie Wood, WIRED, 31 Dec. 2023
At around 125 miles in altitude, mission controllers would adjust the ISS’s trajectory, tweaking the rocket’s burn to reshape the station’s roughly circular orbit into an ellipse, with its closest earthward point, or perigee, perhaps 90 miles above the planet.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 21 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for ellipse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ellipse
Noun
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The small oval painting features a tranquil scene with a figure fishing near a church and a mill.Daniel Cassady for ARTnews, Robb Report, 8 Jan. 2025
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This experience gives him some familiarity with the venue that hosts NASCAR’s biggest race, though the Daytona 500 is held on the 2 1/2-mile oval.Jordan Bianchi, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Foods containing vitamin D include egg yolks, liver, and saltwater fish, as well as foods fortified with vitamin D, such as milk, cereal, and yogurt.13 Two kinds of vitamin D supplements are available: Vitamin D2 and D3.Ashley Wong, Health, 2 Jan. 2025
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Somatic mutations occur after conception—after egg meets sperm—and continue over our lives, spurred by exposure to tobacco smoke, ultraviolet light, or other harmful substances.Jason Liebowitz, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Could the extensive list of first-time Golden Globes nominees – Glen Powell, Adam Brody, Pamela Anderson, Kali Reis and Seth Myers among them – finally score their first gilded orb?Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 6 Jan. 2025
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The Times Square ball drop has been a fixture of New Year's Eve since 1907, when the original wood and iron orb made its maiden journey.Rachel Treisman, NPR, 31 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Ellipse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ellipse. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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