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

The French capital is in the midst of a heat wave — the day of the show was the city’s hottest ever June day, until Wednesday eclipsed it — and the model’s toes steamed inside the oblong footwear. — Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 26 June 2026

Bespoke serving trays may be round, oblong, tiered or custom-made. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 19 June 2026

Noun

The antique copper finish and hammered iron detailing grab your attention with this oblong serving tray. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 19 June 2026

For a Sculptural Statement For a bathroom that can handle a bolder design moment, Sarah Sherman Samuel’s Rivas stool brings a sculptural touch through its oblong shape and cutout detail. — Jacorey Moon, Architectural Digest, 5 June 2026

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