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

With its rich black leather exterior and elongated shoulder straps, this Quince purse looks so similar to the Prada design, and also features other eye-catching details. —Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026

For starters, the keys closest to the center of the keyboard are slightly elongated to avoid mistaken presses. —Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2026

Adjective

Based on Sereno’s paper, the evolutionary history of the spinosaurids started in the Jurassic, when their ancestors first evolved that distinctive, elongate, fish-snaring skull before splitting into two main lineages: baryonychines and spinosaurines. —Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 7 Mar. 2026

According to the study, the new species differs from its congeners—meaning related species in the same genus—in bearing an elongate rostral appendage, green or ochre dorsum, orange-brown belly, and moderately keeled vertebral dorsal scale row. —Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 12 Feb. 2026

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