elongate

1 of 2

verb

elon·​gate i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgāt 

(ˌ)ē-, 

ˈē-ˌlȯŋ-

elongated; elongating

transitive verb

: to extend the length of

intransitive verb

: to grow in length

elongate

2 of 2

adjective

elon·​gate i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgāt 

(ˌ)ē-, 

ˈē-ˌlȯŋ-

variant of elongated entry 1

1

: stretched out : made or grown long or longer

an elongated sound

an elongated version of the text

… it's an elongated process, filled with false starts, reversals, setbacks, stumbling blocks and lots of experimentation.

—Steven Mintz

2

: long and slender : having a form notably long in comparison to its width

an elongated shape

an elongated head

I then made an elongated slot in each drawer for a recessed drawer pull.

—Matthias Wandel

On the building's outside were a glowing marquee, stately trim and elongated ornate windows.

—Domenica Bongiovanni

… a young … star that follows a very elongated orbit …

—Dennis Overbye

Note: The spelling elongate is used especially in technical and scientific contexts (such as descriptions of organisms or their parts).

an elongate fish

an elongate cell

… a perennial that grows as a rosette of elongate leaves …

—Mark D. Camara

… the striations parallel the elongate shape of the stone …

—Robert M. Thorson

The Black Hills uplift is in the shape of an elongate dome comprising an area about 125 miles long and about 60 miles wide.

—U.S. Geological Survey

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.

Synonyms of elongate

Verb

• lengthen
• extend
• stretch
• increase

Adjective

• long
• extended

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.

Adjective

the giraffe's elongate neck is thought to be the result of natural selection

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The wide-leg elongates your shape, especially when styled with heeled boots. —Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 11 Nov. 2025

Their processes—which involved adjusting tones and colors, as well as doubling, elongating, or solarizing images—gave their photographs a sharp, often startling edge. —Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2025

Political action committees have circulated push polls falsely suggesting Mamdani intends to make halal mandatory, and attack ads have darkened and elongated his beard to evoke the visual coding of menace. —Faisal Kutty, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025

Its minimalist silhouette fits naturally under straight-leg jeans to create a clean line that elongates the figure. —Alex Sales, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2025

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

Kids Definition

elongate

1 of 2 verb

elon·​gate i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgāt 

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 

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