ellipsis

/ɪˈlɪp.sɪs/

//ɪˈlɪp.sɪs// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"ellipsis" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“ellipsis” is uncommon English (frequency #57,364 among 18,836 “E” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#57,364
frequency rank, English
18,836
“E” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - 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.

Key facts for ellipsis
PropertyValue
Headwordellipsis
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɪˈlɪp.sɪs/
Letters8
Frequency rank#57,364
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “ellipsis” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). ellipsis lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

ellipsis is uncommon English at frequency #57,364 among 18,836 “E” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ɪˈlɪp.sɪs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for ellipsis, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Unadapted borrowing from Latin ellīpsis, from Ancient Greek ἔλλειψις (élleipsis, “omission”). Doublet of ellipse. The correct English form is ellipsis, spelled E-L-L-I-P-S-I-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    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.
  2. 2
    The omission of a word or phrase that can be inferred from the context.
  3. 3
    The omission of scenes in a film that do not advance the plot.
  4. 4
    An ellipse.

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Latin ellīpsis, from Ancient Greek ἔλλειψις (élleipsis, “omission”). Doublet of ellipse.

This word in other languages

puntos suspensivos(Español)points de suspension(Français)Auslassungspunkte(Deutsch)elipse(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "ellipsis"?
"ellipsis" is spelled E-L-L-I-P-S-I-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈlɪp.sɪs/.
What does "ellipsis" mean?
As a noun, "ellipsis" means: 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.
How do you pronounce "ellipsis"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ellipsis" is /ɪˈlɪp.sɪs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "ellipsis"?
Unadapted borrowing from Latin ellīpsis, from Ancient Greek ἔλλειψις (élleipsis, “omission”). Doublet of ellipse. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “ellipsis”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-L-L-I-P-S-I-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪˈlɪp.sɪs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list