Common definitions of Elliptical include:
An adjective used to describe an object as oval or egg-shaped.
An exercise machine that requires you to stand on two foot pedals that go up and down to simulate running or climbing an incline. The elliptical trainer is used as a cardiovascular workout.
A law of physics, Kepler’s Elliptical Law, which states that each planet moves in an ellipse with the sun as the focal point of the planets’ rotations. An ellipse is a flattened oval.
An architectural term, used to delineate the top of a door, window or building that is dome-shaped at its peak.
The concept of elliptical poetry or ellipticism was introduced by Stephen Burt in a 1998 essay published in the Boston Review. A literary critic, Burt was seeking to find a way to reconcile the poet with the poem.
Related Elliptical Resources
WordNet - Princeton University: Elliptical Definition [1] About.com Walking: Elliptical Trainer [2] About.com Physics: Kepler's Elliptical Law [3] About.com Chemistry: Ellipse [4] About.com Space: Flattened Oval [5] Architectural Traditions: Glossary of Window and Door Terms [6] Boston Review: Elliptical Poetry [7]