oblong

[ ob-lawng, -long ]

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.

noun

1. an oblong figure.

oblong

/ ˈɒbˌlɒŋ /

adjective

1. having an elongated, esp rectangular, shape

noun

1. a figure or object having this shape

Other Words From

• oblong·ish adjective
• oblong·ly adverb
• oblong·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of oblong¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of oblong¹

C15: from Latin oblongus, from ob- (intensive) + longus long ¹

Example Sentences

It also had a strikingly large, oblong carapace with the mouth and claws at the front and eyes at the very back.

From Popular-Science

Several of Max-Karl Winkler’s subjects are enclosed within circles, and in his “The Checkered Scarf,” a woman’s torso, topknot and titular scarf all protrude from the oblong that contains her head.

From Washington Post

Each Dime bud comes equipped with an oblong stem, about the size and shape of a Mike and Ike candy.

From Popular-Science

In the videos, the Brazil nuts, which are oblong, mostly laid horizontally when they were first dumped into the container.

From Science News

An oblong camera that captured and saved photos and short videos of you in various outfits, it used a combination of artificial intelligence and “advice from fashion specialists” to judge how you looked and give advice.

From Washington Post

Or, maybe a satellite in an oblong orbit around earth—the closer it gets, the faster it flies.

From The Daily Beast

Flustered, I typed “iTunes” into the tiny oblong search box to see how many charges there were in total.

From The Daily Beast

An oblong bomb-hole marked the back wall, and windows were empty of their glass.

From The Daily Beast

Gently it slid across the oblong of sunlight, blotting out the figures of the two men from her sight.

From Project Gutenberg

As that big oblong crowd of Turks showed their left flank to Baikie's nine batteries they were swept in enfilade by shrapnel.

From Project Gutenberg

Its white front glimmered indistinctly through the trees, showing only one oblong of light on the lower floor.

From Project Gutenberg

She turned the oblong handle which released two of the windows, pulled it towards her, and drank in the fresh night air.

From Project Gutenberg

Her deck appearance is that of an oblong raft, and the section of her hull is that of a flattened W.

From Project Gutenberg