ellipsis
UK: ɪˈlɪpsɪs | US: ɪˈlɪpsɪs
n. the omission of words from a sentence or phrase without losing clarity (e.g., "I ate apples, and she [ate] oranges").
n. a series of dots (...) indicating such an omission or pause in writing.
ellipsis = ellip<fall short, leave out> + sis<noun suffix>
- ellip (from Greek elleipein, "to fall short, leave out") → retains the core idea of omission or incompleteness.
- sis (Greek noun suffix -sis) → forms abstract nouns indicating action or process (e.g., "analysis," "basis").
Etymology Origin:
Derived from Greek elleipsis ("a falling short, omission"), the word entered English in the 16th century via Latin. The root elleipein combines en- ("in") + leipein ("to leave"), metaphorically painting omission as "leaving something within" a sentence. The suffix -sis solidifies it as a grammatical term for the act of omitting. The modern use of "..." as visual shorthand for omission mirrors this linguistic economy.
The ellipsis in "She said... and left" creates suspense.
Avoid overusing ellipses in formal writing.
The poet employed ellipsis to convey unspoken emotions.
"Ready... set... go!" uses ellipses to mimic pauses.
Editors marked the redundant phrase with an ellipsis for deletion.