Meaning & use
ellipsis
Last updated
a set of three dots (...) used to show that words have been left out, or to indicate a pause or trailing off
See it in a sentence
She ended the text with an ellipsis, leaving her thought unfinished.
The editor used an ellipsis to shorten the long quotation.
A note on using this word
The plural is 'ellipses.' Don't confuse it with 'ellipse,' the oval geometric shape.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ellipsis”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.