ellipsoid
/ɪˈlɪp.sɔɪd/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 2.39 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A surface, all of whose cross sections are elliptic or circular (including the sphere), that generalises the ellipse and in Cartesian coordinates (x, y, z) is a quadric with equation x²/a² + y²/b² + z²/c² = 1.
adj
Shaped like an ellipse; elliptical.
adj
Of or pertaining to an ellipse; elliptic.
Example Sentences
- "Polarizability can be imagined as a three-dimensional ellipsoid centred on the centre of the molecule, as shown in Figure 10.4."
- "Because only ellipsoids of rotation have been adopted in practical geodesy and surveying and triaxial ellipsoids have been limited to theoretical studies, we will use the term ellipsoid for brevity to mean ellipsoid of rotation."
- "As mentioned before, modern geodetic datums rely on the surfaces of geocentric ellipsoids to approximate the surface of the earth."
- "Here the geoid is thirty meters below the ellipsoid."
Etymology
Etymology tree English ellipse Ancient Greek -ο- (-o-)der. Latin -o- Proto-Indo-European *weyd- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *wéydos Proto-Hellenic *wéidos Ancient Greek εἶδος (eîdos) Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-ēs Proto-Hellenic *-ēs Ancient Greek -ης (-ēs) Ancient Greek -ειδής (-eidḗs) Latin -oīdēslbor. English -oid English ellipsoid From ellipse + -oid.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ɪˈlɪp.sɔɪd/
- British English: /ɪˈlɪp.sɔɪd/