elongate

1 of 2

verb

elon·​gate i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgāt How to pronounce elongate (audio)
(ˌ)ē-,
ˈē-ˌlȯŋ-
elongated; elongating

transitive verb

: to extend the length of

intransitive verb

: to grow in length

elongate

2 of 2

variant of elongate entry 1

Did you know?

Elongate is often found in scientific writing, but the adjective elongated is more common, and frequently used to describe body parts in discussions of anatomy. This was even the case when the superhero Elongated Man made his appearance back in 1960. But some other characters with the same powers—Plastic Man, Elastic Lad, and Mr. Fantastic—ended up having longer careers.

Examples of elongate in a Sentence

Verb These stretching exercises can help elongate your leg muscles. New medical procedures have elongated the careers of many athletes. the giraffe's elongate neck is thought to be the result of natural selection
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.
Verb
The top may be fitted more along this lower silhouette to elongate the body. Shelby Wax, Vogue, 6 Dec. 2024 The collection includes red and white elongated sprinkles, as well as ones that are shaped like trees and snowflakes. Raven Brunner, People.com, 4 Dec. 2024
Some feature high waists to elongate legs or pleats to conjure old-school élan worthy of Cary Grant. Charlie Teasdale, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2023 The fragment, which was cleaved from its fecal parent with a pair of wire cutters, resembles a chunk of light-colored concrete with darker, elongate inclusions that Chin recognizes as bone. Karen Wright, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 See all Example Sentences for elongate 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Late Latin elongatus, past participle of elongare to withdraw, from Latin e- + longus

First Known Use

Verb

1578, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of elongate was in 1578

Dictionary Entries Near elongate

Cite this Entry

“Elongate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elongate. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

elongate

1 of 2 verb
elon·​gate i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgāt How to pronounce elongate (audio)
elongated; elongating
: to make or grow longer
elongation
(ˌ)ē-ˌlȯŋ-ˈgā-shən
noun

elongate

2 of 2 adjective
variants or elongated
i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgāt-əd
: stretched out
especially : being much greater in length than in width

Medical Definition

elongate

1 of 2 verb
elon·​gate i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgāt How to pronounce elongate (audio)
elongated; elongating

transitive verb

: to extend the length of

intransitive verb

: to grow in length

elongate

2 of 2 adjective
variants or elongated
: long in proportion to width

More from Merriam-Webster on elongate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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