Definition

A three-dimensional shape that looks like a stretched or flattened sphere, where all cross-sections are either ellipses or circles.

Example

The planet Earth is not a perfect sphere but an ellipsoid, slightly flattened at the poles.

Conversation

Have you ever seen a model of an ellipsoid?

No, I haven't. What does it look like?

It's like a stretched-out sphere, really interesting!

That sounds cool! I’d love to check one out.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Ellipsoid → It is formed from "ellips" (from Greek "elleipsis", meaning a falling short or deficiency) and "-oid" (meaning resembling or having the form of). The word "ellipsoid" refers to a shape that resembles an ellipse.

Memory Tip

Imagine a shape that 'resembles' ('-oid') an 'ellipse' — that's how you remember that an ellipsoid is a shape similar to an ellipse.

Visually Confused Words