ellipsis

noun

Etymology: Unadapted borrowing from Latin ellīpsis, from Ancient Greek ἔλλειψις (élleipsis, “omission”). Doublet of ellipse.

1. 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.

   “The ellipsis in 1, 2, 3, ..., 8, 9 means that the numbers 4, 5, 6, and 7 are not explicitly included, but are considered to be part of the pattern.”

   “The ellipsis in 0.333... means that the number is a repeating decimal, having threes that go on forever.”

2. The omission of a word or phrase that can be inferred from the context.
3. The omission of scenes in a film that do not advance the plot.

   “It was now possible for writers and directors to cut scenes that did not further the plot; called "ellipses" by filmmakers.”

4. An ellipse.