elongate

[ih-lawng-geyt, ih-long-, ee-lawng-geyt, ee-long-]

verb (used with object)

elongated, elongating 

1. to draw out to greater length; lengthen; extend.

verb (used without object)

elongated, elongating 

1. to increase in length.

adjective

1. extended; lengthened.

2. long and thin.

elongate

/ ˈiːlɒŋɡeɪt /

verb

1. to make or become longer; stretch

adjective

1. long and narrow; slender

   elongate leaves

2. lengthened or tapered

Other Word Forms

• elongative adjective
• subelongate adjective
• subelongated adjective
• unelongated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of elongate¹

1530–40; < Late Latin ēlongātus lengthened out, past participle of ēlongāre to make longer, make distant, remove, equivalent to Latin ē- e- ¹ + -longāre, derivative of longus long ¹, longē far off

Word History and Origins

Origin of elongate¹

C16: from Late Latin ēlongāre to keep at a distance, from ē- away + Latin longē (adv) far, but also later: to lengthen, as if from ē- + Latin longus (adj) long

Example Sentences

In his pre-tournament news conference, Djokovic made a frank admission that he does not "enjoy" the elongated format of the Masters tournaments, which have been stretched to two weeks over recent seasons.

From BBC

“And people have observed that when the fault is very smooth, the rupture ... tends to propagate at a velocity” so fast that it results in an “extremely elongated rupture,” Avouac said.

From Los Angeles Times

It felt wonderful, as if my spine were elongating, all the stress draining from my back.

From Los Angeles Times

The Dodgers eventually knocked the Giants out of the playoffs that October, but their elongated path through the postseason as a wild card team left them gassed in the NL Championship Series.

From Los Angeles Times

It forced the Dodgers to settle for a wild-card berth in the playoffs, and down an elongated October path that saw them run out of steam in the NL Championship Series.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• draw out 
• lengthen