elongation

noun

elon·​ga·​tion (ˌ)ē-ˌlȯŋ-ˈgā-shən 

1

: the angular distance in the sky between a celestial body and another around which it revolves or between a celestial body and a particular point (such as the point where its path intersects the horizon)

the elongation of Venus from the Sun

2

a

: the state of being elongated or lengthened

also : the process of elongating

b

: something that is elongated

Synonyms

• drawing out
• extension
• lengthening
• prolongation
• prolonging
• stretching

Examples of elongation in a Sentence

the elongation of artificial fibers in the manufacturing process

Recent Examples on the Web

End of carousel During this peduncle elongation stage, the stalks bearing the blossom buds extend and, while the buds are still closed, the flowers become visible. —Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024

Look low toward the western horizon around 40 minutes after sunset to catch Mercury, which will be at its greatest eastern elongation, just beneath and right from bright Jupiter. —Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 1 Mar. 2024

The planet is set for its greatest western elongation just before dawn, or around 6:20 a.m. in your local time zone. —Blake Bakkila, Sunset Magazine, 11 Jan. 2024

For instance, the greatest eastern elongation—or when the planet is visible at night—is on March 24, 2024. —Blake Bakkila, Sunset Magazine, 11 Jan. 2024

Viewing conditions will improve until February 27th, when Mercury reaches its greatest elongation 18 east of the sun. —Scientific American, 29 Jan. 2019

This is the seventh season of Big Mouth, and even though there’s only one more planned after this, spending seven years depicting life in middle school is only a slightly lesser elongation of time than M*A*S*H needing 11 years to chronicle a war that only lasted for two. —Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2023

Nudged ahead by sunshine and highs in the 50s last week, the buds hit Stage 4 out of 6 on Saturday, known as peduncle elongation. —Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2023

The series, which is interweaving as many as three different timelines at once, simultaneously explores how a case like this could stretch over 16 years and engages in narrative elongation of its own, with reenactments of the tragedy and shifts in perspective that push each episode to over an hour. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 May 2022

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

elongation

noun

elon·​ga·​tion (ˌ)ē-ˌlȯŋ-ˈgā-shən 

1

: the state of being elongated or lengthened

also : the process of growing or increasing in length

chain elongation in DNA synthesis

the elongation of a muscle under tension

2

: something that is elongated