elongated

1 of 2

adjective

elon·​gat·​ed i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgā-təd How to pronounce elongated (audio)
(ˌ)ē-,
ˈē-ˌlȯŋ-
variants or less commonly elongate
i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgāt How to pronounce elongated (audio)
(ˌ)ē-,
ˈē-ˌlȯŋ-
1
: stretched out : made or grown long or longer
an elongated sound
an elongated version of the text
… it's an elongated process, filled with false starts, reversals, setbacks, stumbling blocks and lots of experimentation.Steven Mintz
2
: long and slender : having a form notably long in comparison to its width
an elongated shape
an elongated head
I then made an elongated slot in each drawer for a recessed drawer pull.Matthias Wandel
On the building's outside were a glowing marquee, stately trim and elongated ornate windows.Domenica Bongiovanni
… a young … star that follows a very elongated orbit …Dennis Overbye

Note: The spelling elongate is used especially in technical and scientific contexts (such as descriptions of organisms or their parts).

an elongate fish
an elongate cell
… a perennial that grows as a rosette of elongate leaves …Mark D. Camara
… the striations parallel the elongate shape of the stone …Robert M. Thorson
The Black Hills uplift is in the shape of an elongate dome comprising an area about 125 miles long and about 60 miles wide.U.S. Geological Survey

elongated

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of elongate entry 1

Examples of elongated in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The galaxy’s light gets distorted by the gravity of the dark matter, so the image of the galaxy becomes elongated, turning into a little arc. Jenna Ahart, Quanta Magazine, 11 July 2025 If the orbit were to get too elongated, Mercury could fall into the sun or get close enough to Venus to get flung out of the solar system. Phil Plait, Scientific American, 26 June 2025 The inner lobes are bright and short, while the outer lobes are faint and elongated. Robert Lea, Space.com, 9 June 2025 Related Articles Amiri continues to offer suiting, with elongated and relaxed tailoring, as well as crochet and knits. Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 15 May 2025 Introduced in 2023, the bag takes clear inspiration from the early-aughts baguette—elongated, shoulder-hugging, and just the right amount of flash. Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 10 May 2025 One key influence is the polar vortex, which is currently both strong and elongated. John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025 This revealed elongated filamentary structures stretching out for between 260,000 and 360,000 light-years. Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 June 2025 The shoes feature an elongated, pointed toe that is pinched at the tip, a signature detail in the design house’s footwear. Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of elongate entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of elongated was in 1578

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Elongated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elongated. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

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