elongate

[ih-lawng-geyt, ih-long-, ee-lawng-geyt, ee-long-]

verb (used with object)

elongated, elongating 

1. to draw out to greater length; lengthen; extend.

verb (used without object)

elongated, elongating 

1. to increase in length.

adjective

1. extended; lengthened.

2. long and thin.

elongate

/ ˈiːlɒŋɡeɪt /

verb

1. to make or become longer; stretch

adjective

1. long and narrow; slender

   elongate leaves

2. lengthened or tapered

Other Word Forms

• elongative adjective
• subelongate adjective
• subelongated adjective
• unelongated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of elongate¹

1530–40; < Late Latin ēlongātus lengthened out, past participle of ēlongāre to make longer, make distant, remove, equivalent to Latin ē- e- ¹ + -longāre, derivative of longus long ¹, longē far off

Word History and Origins

Origin of elongate¹

C16: from Late Latin ēlongāre to keep at a distance, from ē- away + Latin longē (adv) far, but also later: to lengthen, as if from ē- + Latin longus (adj) long

Example Sentences

All around the festival grounds, there are several tents dedicated solely to Flog Gnaw merchandise, with elongated lines.

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This sticky, elongated tongue can strike prey located at more than double the chameleon's own body length.

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A mix of store-bought animatronics, handmade props and found objects — vintage lamps, creatures with elongated necks and an assortment of mystical, witchy knickknacks, fill every nook.

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In males, it grows from a small cluster of cells into a little white pimple that elongates between the eyes.

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Observations also reveal that the more elongated a warm Jupiter's orbit is, the more precisely aligned it tends to be -- a surprising pattern that no current planet formation theory can explain.

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Related Words

• draw out 
• lengthen