Ellipsoid

Quick meaning: Ellipsoid is a noun meaning (geography) Such a surface used as a model of the shape of the earth.

Meaning

(geography) Such a surface used as a model of the shape of the earth.

More Meanings

1. Shaped like an ellipse; elliptical.
2. (mathematics) Of or pertaining to an ellipse; elliptic.
3. (botany) Having the tridimensional shape of an ellipse rotated on its long axis.
4. (mathematics, geometry) A surface, all of whose cross sections are elliptic or circular (including the sphere), that generalises the ellipse and in Cartesian coordinates (x, y, z) is a quadric with equation x²/a² + y²/b² + z²/c² = 1.

Example Sentences

Here the geoid is thirty meters below the ellipsoid.

Polarizability can be imagined as a three-dimensional ellipsoid centred on the centre of the molecule, as shown in Figure 10.4.

As mentioned before, modern geodetic datums rely on the surfaces of geocentric ellipsoids to approximate the surface of the earth.

Because only ellipsoids of rotation have been adopted in practical geodesy and surveying and triaxial ellipsoids have been limited to theoretical studies, we will use the term ellipsoid for brevity to mean ellipsoid of rotation.

Word Forms

• ellipsoids

Synonyms for ellipsoid

Depending on context, synonyms include rounded, ellipsoidal, spheroidal, non-circular.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include spheroidal, rounded, non-circular, prolate, oval, momental.

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