3 syllables: El, lip, sis. Stress on lip.
il-LIP-sis
/ɪlˈlɪpsɪs/
Ellipsis is pronounced il-LIP-sis (/ɪlˈlɪpsɪs/). It has three syllables (El-lip-sis), with the stress on "lip". Ellipsis is the omission of one or more words that are understood in context but not spoken. In grammar and punctuation, it is the sequence “…” used to indicate this missing material. As a noun, it also refers to the mark itself or to the act of omitting material in writing or speech.
nounEllipsis is the omission of one or more words that are understood in context but not spoken. In grammar and punctuation, it is the sequence “…” used to indicate this missing material. As a noun, it also refers to the mark itself or to the act of omitting material in writing or speech.
"The sentence uses ellipsis to indicate a trailing thought or an intentional omission: ‘She started to say something, and—’"
"In academic writing, ellipses show omitted material from a quotation."
"The poet used an ellipsis to suggest a pause or an unfinished idea."
Ellipsis is pronounced eh-LIH-p-sis, with primary stress on the second syllable: /ɪˈlɪp.sɪs/ in US/UK. Break it into three syllables: e-LLI-psis, where the middle syllable carries the strongest emphasis. The initial vowel is a short “eh” or “ih” sound, and the final -sis rhymes with “this.” For quick reference, think of the sequence as e-lip-sis, with a light, crisp flow between syllables.
Common errors include stressing the first or last syllable instead of the second (you’ll hear EL-li-psis or e-le-PI-sis), and running the middle consonant cluster together (elting into ‘elit-sis’). To correct: keep primary stress on the second syllable /ɪˈlɪp.sɪs/, articulate the /l/ clearly, and clearly release the final /sɪs/ without adding an extra vowel sound. Practicing with slow tempo helps ensure even syllable timing and prevents a clipped /-sis/ ending.
In US and UK, the word maintains /ɪˈlɪp.sɪs/, with a clear /ɪ/ in both the first and second syllables. Rhoticity has little impact here. In Australian English, you’ll still use /ɪˈlɪp.sɪs/, but vowel quality can be slightly more centralized, and vowel shortening may be more pronounced due to faster speech patterns. Overall, the rhythm remains three syllables with a strong second-syllable stress; subtle vowel shaping and tempo differ by accent.
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable rhythm combined with precise stress on the second syllable and careful articulation of the /p/ plosive followed by /s/ in /psɪs/. Speakers often misplace stress or blur /l/ and /p/ sounds, producing ‘el-ih-sis’ or ‘e-llips-is.’ Slow, deliberate practice of the /l/ and /p/ sequence, plus a clean release into /sɪs/, helps maintain accurate phonetic timing and prevents slurring.
A notable, word-specific feature is the tricky /ps/ cluster at the transition from the middle to the final syllable. Ensure an audible, crisp /p/ release immediately followed by /s/ in the onset of the final syllable: /-p.sɪs/. This cluster is easy to gloss over in fast speech, but exaggerating slightly in practice helps cement a natural, precise ending without inserting an extra vowel before the final /s/.
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Ellipsis comes from the Greek word ellipsis, from ellipsēs, meaning ‘a falling silent’ or ‘omitted section,’ from èllipsein, meaning ‘to fall short, to leave out.’ The root èllipsein combines éll-, ‘to omit’ or ‘to leave out,’ with -psein, ‘to strike’ or ‘to cut.’ The term first appeared in English in the 16th century in scholarly discussions of punctuation and textual criticism, where it described both the mark and the concept of omitted material. Historically, ellipses have served a dual purpose: signaling missing content in quotations and conveying a deliberate pause or trailing off in speech. Over time, the symbol “…”—and the name ellipsis—became standardized in typography and style guides, distinguishing it from other punctuation marks that indicate pauses (comma, dash) and from abridgment devices in editorial practice. In modern usage, ellipses function across writing and transcription, and with digital typography, they often come in UTF-8 ellipsis characters or three periods, sometimes with a space after each period depending on the style guide. First known use in print is documented in rhetorical and editorial treatises of the early modern period, reflecting a growing interest in precise representation of omission and deliberate pacing in language.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Ellipsis" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Ellipsis"
-sis sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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