oblong

1 of 2

adjective

ob·​long ˈä-ˌblȯŋ 

: deviating from a square, circular, or spherical form by elongation in one dimension

an oblong piece of paper

an oblong melon

see leaf illustration

oblong

2 of 2

noun

: something that is oblong

These paintings, predominately black with vertical or horizontal bisections of white mixed with streaks of red, blue, or ochre, are reminiscent of … Mark Rothko's irradiated oblongs.

—The New Yorker

Did you know?

Oblong is a general but useful term for describing the shape of things such as leaves. There's no such thing as an oblong circle, since a stretched circle has to be called an oval, and any rectangle that isn't square is oblong, at least if it's lying on its side (such rectangles can actually be called oblongs). Pills are generally oblong rather than round, to slide down the throat more easily. An oblong table will often fit a living space better than a square or round one with the same area. And people are always buried in oblong boxes.

Examples of oblong in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Advertisement The current menu begins with an oblong ceramic tureen of sorts that suggests a wide-open oyster shell. —Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024

This modern approach to branding aligns with Mela’s packaging design showcasing lively drawings of tattoos, including ones of those oblong watermelons, which were designed by an actual tattoo artist. —Andrew Watman, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024

Noun

The sweet watermelons grown in Vietnam–which are known for their oblong shape–is just the first step of the grassroots process of Mela’s proprietary formulation. —Andrew Watman, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024

The size of these potatoes ranges from small to medium, and the shape varies too, from oblong to fingerling. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English oblonge, oblong, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French oblonge, borrowed from Latin oblongus "of greater length than breadth," from ob-, perhaps in sense "facing, against" + longus "having linear extent, long" — more at ob-, long entry 1

Noun

derivative of oblong entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1590, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

oblong

1 of 2 adjective

ob·​long

ˈäb-ˌlȯŋ

: longer in one direction than in the other

an oblong shoe box

an oblong watermelon

oblong

2 of 2 noun

: an oblong figure or object