diff --git a/lib/init.scm b/lib/init.scm
index 276914ae..60dc55bc 100644
--- a/lib/init.scm
+++ b/lib/init.scm
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@
 (define-syntax syntax-rules
   (er-macro-transformer
    (lambda (expr rename compare)
-     (let ((ellipse-specified? (identifier? (cadr expr)))
+     (let ((ellipsis-specified? (identifier? (cadr expr)))
            (count 0)
            (_er-macro-transformer (rename 'er-macro-transformer))
            (_lambda (rename 'lambda))      (_let (rename 'let))
@@ -625,9 +625,9 @@
            (_ls (rename 'ls)) (_res (rename 'res)) (_i (rename 'i))
            (_reverse (rename 'reverse))    (_vector->list (rename 'vector->list))
            (_list->vector (rename 'list->vector)))
-       (define ellipse (rename (if ellipse-specified? (cadr expr) '...)))
-       (define lits (if ellipse-specified? (caddr expr) (cadr expr)))
-       (define forms (if ellipse-specified? (cdddr expr) (cddr expr)))
+       (define ellipsis (rename (if ellipsis-specified? (cadr expr) '...)))
+       (define lits (if ellipsis-specified? (caddr expr) (cadr expr)))
+       (define forms (if ellipsis-specified? (cdddr expr) (cddr expr)))
        (define (next-symbol s)
          (set! count (+ count 1))
          (rename (string->symbol (string-append s (number->string count)))))
@@ -647,11 +647,11 @@
                 (if (any (lambda (l) (compare p l)) lits)
                     (list _and (list _compare v (list _quote p)) (k vars))
                     (list _let (list (list p v)) (k (cons (cons p dim) vars)))))
-               ((ellipse? p)
+               ((ellipsis? p)
                 (cond
                  ((not (null? (cddr p)))
                   (cond
-                   ((any (lambda (x) (and (identifier? x) (compare x ellipse)))
+                   ((any (lambda (x) (and (identifier? x) (compare x ellipsis)))
                          (cddr p))
                     (error "multiple ellipses" p))
                    (else
@@ -722,16 +722,16 @@
                       (lp (vector->list p) (list _vector->list v) dim vars k)))
                ((null? p) (list _and (list _null? v) (k vars)))
                (else (list _and (list _equal? v p) (k vars))))))))
-       (define (ellipse-escape? x) (and (pair? x) (compare ellipse (car x))))
-       (define (ellipse? x)
-         (and (pair? x) (pair? (cdr x)) (compare ellipse (cadr x))))
-       (define (ellipse-depth x)
-         (if (ellipse? x)
-             (+ 1 (ellipse-depth (cdr x)))
+       (define (ellipsis-escape? x) (and (pair? x) (compare ellipsis (car x))))
+       (define (ellipsis? x)
+         (and (pair? x) (pair? (cdr x)) (compare ellipsis (cadr x))))
+       (define (ellipsis-depth x)
+         (if (ellipsis? x)
+             (+ 1 (ellipsis-depth (cdr x)))
              0))
-       (define (ellipse-tail x)
-         (if (ellipse? x)
-             (ellipse-tail (cdr x))
+       (define (ellipsis-tail x)
+         (if (ellipsis? x)
+             (ellipsis-tail (cdr x))
              (cdr x)))
        (define (all-vars x dim)
          (let lp ((x x) (dim dim) (vars '()))
@@ -739,7 +739,7 @@
                   (if (any (lambda (lit) (compare x lit)) lits)
                       vars
                       (cons (cons x dim) vars)))
-                 ((ellipse? x) (lp (car x) (+ dim 1) vars))
+                 ((ellipsis? x) (lp (car x) (+ dim 1) vars))
                  ((pair? x) (lp (car x) dim (lp (cdr x) dim vars)))
                  ((vector? x) (lp (vector->list x) dim vars))
                  (else vars))))
@@ -769,13 +769,13 @@
                (list _rename (list _quote t)))))
             ((pair? t)
              (cond
-              ((ellipse-escape? t)
+              ((ellipsis-escape? t)
                (list _quote
                      (if (pair? (cdr t))
                          (if (pair? (cddr t)) (cddr t) (cadr t))
                          (cdr t))))
-              ((ellipse? t)
-               (let* ((depth (ellipse-depth t))
+              ((ellipsis? t)
+               (let* ((depth (ellipsis-depth t))
                       (ell-dim (+ dim depth))
                       (ell-vars (free-vars (car t) vars ell-dim)))
                  (if (null? ell-vars)
@@ -792,9 +792,9 @@
                                        (many nest
                                              (list _apply _append many)))
                                       ((= d 1) many))))
-                       (if (null? (ellipse-tail t))
+                       (if (null? (ellipsis-tail t))
                            many ;; shortcut
-                           (list _append many (lp (ellipse-tail t) dim)))))))
+                           (list _append many (lp (ellipsis-tail t) dim)))))))
               (else (list _cons (lp (car t) dim) (lp (cdr t) dim)))))
             ((vector? t) (list _list->vector (lp (vector->list t) dim)))
             ((null? t) (list _quote '()))