oblong
Americanadjective
-
elongated, usually from the square or circular form.
-
in the form of a rectangle one of whose dimensions is greater than the other.
noun
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
- oblongish adjective
- oblongly adverb
- oblongness noun
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.
Vocabulary lists containing oblong
Unit 4: Powerful Openings
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A Thousand Splendid Suns
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Island of the Blue Dolphins
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Nothing about Kansei Matsuzawa’s upbringing in Japan had prepared him to kick an oblong ball through upright goalposts in Hawaii.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 19, 2025
Orozco and his wife have run the modest cafe since 1997, serving items such as huevos rancheros, tacos, burgers and fajitas on oblong plates with a side of grapefruit.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 28, 2025
There’s something rather whimsical about eating the oblong fruit.
From Salon • Sep. 6, 2025
The smallest of its windowless chambers was an irregular oblong box which was commonly referred to as "the Coffin", and was believed to be Robert Burns' favoured seat in the Tavern.
From BBC • Nov. 30, 2024
The oblong table was pushed to the front of the room.
From "Native Son" by Richard Wright
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
