ellipsis

/ɪˈlɪpsɪs/

/ɪˈlɪpsɪs/

Other forms: ellipses

An ellipsis is punctuation that is used to show where words have been left out. The ellipsis is usually formed by three periods (four if the ellipsis comes at the end of a sentence).

The plural of ellipsis is…ellipses. See what we did there? In addition to indicating that words are missing, an ellipsis can say, “wait for it.” There’s a pause. The word ellipsis comes to English via a Greek word, elleipein, meaning to fall short or leave out. If you can’t remember the word ellipsis, you can always say “dot dot dot.”

Definitions of ellipsis

1. noun

   a mark or marks, such as three dots, indicating that words have been omitted
   type of:

   punctuation, punctuation mark

   the marks used to clarify meaning by indicating separation of words into sentences and clauses and phrases
2. noun

   omission or suppression of parts of words or sentences
   synonyms: eclipsis

   type of:

   deletion, omission

   any process whereby sounds or words are left out of spoken words or phrases