oblong

American  

[ob-lawng, -long] / ˈɒbˌlɔŋ, -ˌlɒŋ /

adjective

1. 

   elongated, usually from the square or circular form.

2. in the form of a rectangle one of whose dimensions is greater than the other.

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noun

• oblongs
  plural

1. an oblong figure.

oblong British  

/ ˈɒbˌlɒŋ /

adjective

1. having an elongated, esp rectangular, shape

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noun

1. a figure or object having this shape

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• oblongness
  noun
• oblongish
  adjective
• oblongly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• oblongs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of oblong

1375–1425; late Middle English oblonge < Latin oblongus rather long, equivalent to ob- ob- + longus long ¹

Explanation

If you take a rectangle or a circle and stretch it out, you end up with an elongated shape called an oblong. If you stretch a circle until it becomes an oval, you've made it oblong. First consider the Latin word longus, which means "long," and the prefix "ob," which refers to some direction. It makes sense, then, that an oblong should be an elongated shape, stretched long in one direction. It can be used a noun or an adjective. If your dining room table is an oblong, you're going to need an oblong tablecloth.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

oblong oblongs

Whatever combination of instrumentation and samples the trio is working with and whatever oblong shape their compositions assume, you can always hear structure.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026

The large orange oblong zone “represents areas that are immediately dangerous to life and health, where it would cause injury if anybody inhales or is impacted by the product in question.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2026

It was malleable and oblong, perfectly complemented by a waft of boy-next-door blond locks and a brow that could convey emotion just as well as any histrionic soap dialogue.

From Salon ● Feb. 15, 2026

The most famous visual landmark associated with Singapore is probably the Marina Bay Sands, with Moshe Safdie’s oblong, swimmable rooftop straddling three buildings.

From Slate ● Mar. 28, 2025

He pulls the razor clam out; its oblong body fits perfectly in the palm of his hand.

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day

The logo is different, but still evokes the golden arches: a circle and two yellow oblongs — representing a beef patty and french fries — configured into a stylized M.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 12, 2022

Most of Engida’s canvases are crowded with women in domestic scenes, their faces rendered in simple black lines, except for the bright red oblongs that often represent lips.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 14, 2020

“My sense of proportion tells me that oblongs are more attractive than squares, just as…a greyhound is more graceful than an English bulldog,” Mr. Earl wrote in a 1954 essay in the Saturday Evening Post.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2018

He hammered a pair of square eyeglass frames into oblongs, hung a boot lace from one side, and voilà: your man the poet.

From New York Times ● Oct. 1, 2015

Mack, with a piece of chalk, drew five oblongs on the floor, each seven feet long and four feet wide, and in each square he wrote a name.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck