elongation

[ ih-lawng-gey-shuhn, ih-long-, ee-lawng-, ee-long- ]

noun

1. the act of elongating or the state of being elongated.
2. something that is elongated.
3. Astronomy. the angular distance, measured from the earth, between a planet or the moon and the sun or between a satellite and the planet about which it revolves.

elongation

/ ĭ-lông′gā′shən /

1. The angular distance between two celestial bodies as seen from a third. Elongation is normally conceived as a measure of the angle formed between the Sun and a celestial body, such as a planet or the Moon, with Earth at the vertex. In terms of the celestial sphere, elongation is the distance between the Sun and the body as measured in degrees of celestial longitude. When the body lies on a direct line drawn from Earth to or through the Sun, its elongation is 0° and it is said to be in conjunction . It is said to be in quadrature when it lies at a right angle to a line between the Earth and Sun with an elongation of 90°, and it is in opposition when it lies on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun with an elongation of 180°. Superior planets (those that are farther from the Sun than Earth) have a full range of elongations between 0° and 180°. Inferior planets (those closer to the Sun than Earth) have limited elongations due to their smaller orbits; Venus has a greatest elongation of about 48°, while Mercury's greatest elongation is about 28°.
2. See more at conjunction

Other Words From

• none·lon·gation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of elongation¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin ēlongātiōn- (stem of ēlongātiō ), equivalent to ēlongāt ( us ) ( elongate ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Therefore what we see doesn’t tell us anything about the origins of snakes or the evolutionary progression of body elongation, limb loss, and skull specialization in snakes.

From Popular-Science

During peduncle elongation, the stalks bearing the blossom buds extend and the flowers become visible.

From Washington Post

The common condition can get progressively worse as a person ages and that ocular elongation extends.

From Popular-Science

Though when the cleavage is covered-up, embellishments and elongation come out in full-force.

From The Daily Beast

As the hind foot elongates the index will increase; elongation of the hind foot is interpreted as a specialization.

From Project Gutenberg

But they told what they knew; that Venus was past her eastern elongation, was approaching the earth.

From Project Gutenberg

In that case a little extra tension may be given to offset the probable elongation of the loops.

From Project Gutenberg

In the Blue Ridge it has undergone no greater change than a slight elongation of its particles and development of a little mica.

From Project Gutenberg

The deflecting power exerted by the elastic bond is also increased by its elongation.

From Project Gutenberg