lanceolate

American  

[lan-see-uh-leyt, -lit] / ˈlæn si əˌleɪt, -lɪt /

adjective

1. shaped like the head of a lance.

2. narrow, and tapering toward the apex or sometimes at the base, as a leaf.

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lanceolate British  

/ -lɪt, ˈlɑːnsɪəˌleɪt /

adjective

1. narrow and tapering to a point at each end

   lanceolate leaves

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lanceolate Scientific  

/ lăn′sē-ə-lāt′ /

1. Tapering from a rounded base toward an apex; lance-shaped. Many willows have lanceolate leaves.

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Other Word Forms

• lanceolately adverb
• sublanceolate adjective

Etymology

Origin of lanceolate

1750–60; < Latin lanceolātus armed with a small lance, equivalent to lanceol ( a ) small lance ( lance ( a ) lance ¹ + -ola -ole ¹ ) + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Ninebark, with its rich fall tones, went in the other vase, along with the silver-gray foliage of protea lanceolate and its russet seed heads.

From The Wall Street Journal

“A twist of a flower petal, lanceolate leaf patterns, the movement of the Eslimi loops,” I suggest.

From The Guardian

The ears are far narrower than those of living rhinos – they’ve even been described as lanceolate in form.

From Scientific American

Interior design, 6 radiating lanceolate or petaloid areas, double-line bordered, containing from 33 to 50 spots.

From Project Gutenberg

Flower ringent; the lanceolate sepals and petals nearly alike, united at base, ascending and arching over the column.

From Project Gutenberg