English
ellipsis
Ellipsis comes from Ancient Greek ἔλλειψις ‘omission’, from ἐλλείπω ‘to fall short, omit’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leykʷ- ‘to leave behind’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leykʷ-‘to leave behind’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλείπω‘to leave behind’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐλλείπω‘to fall short, omit’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἔλλειψιςélleipsis‘omission’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEellīpsis
- Englishearliest quotation 2002ellipsis
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leykʷ-‘to leave behind’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλείπω‘to leave behind’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐλλείπω‘to fall short, omit’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἔλλειψιςélleipsis‘omission’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEellīpsis
- Englishearliest quotation 2002ellipsis
Earliest quotation: 2002, David Blanke: “It was now possible for writers and directors to…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leykʷ- ‘to leave behind’
loan, lend, relic, delinquent, relinquish, delinquency, 15 more
through Ancient Greek λείπω ‘to leave behind’
Today it means
noun 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.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *leykʷ- / ellipsis