elongation

noun

elon·ga·tion | \ (ˌ)ē-ˌlȯŋ-ˈgā-shən

Definition of elongation

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

2a : the state of being elongated or lengthened also : the process of elongating

b : something that is elongated

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Examples of elongation in a Sentence

the elongation of artificial fibers in the manufacturing process

Recent Examples on the Web Thanks to mild weather, cherry blossom buds at the Tidal Basin are rapidly progressing through their six-stage cycle and have advanced to stage 4: peduncle elongation. — Washington Post, "Cherry blossoms reach ‘peduncle elongation’ stage, peak bloom likely about a week away," 25 Mar. 2021 Soon after peak, Mercury reached its greatest maximum elongation from the sun on March 6, Inverse reports. — Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, "A Rare Astronomical Phenomenon of Three Planets Aligning Occurs This Week," 10 Mar. 2021 At Mercury's greatest elongation on March 6, the solar system's innermost planet swings to a whopping 27.3degreeswest of the sun, placing Mercury in the morning sky before sunrise. — Todd Nelson, Star Tribune, "A Dash of Spring Fever On The Way," 2 Mar. 2021 Also, Mercury will reach its greatest elongation from the sun as seen from Earth. — Joe Mario Pedersen, orlandosentinel.com, "Orlando night sky for March: Worm Moon, rocket launches, daylight saving and bright stars," 28 Feb. 2021 The common condition can get progressively worse as a person ages and that ocular elongation extends. — Claire Maldarelli, Popular Science, "The 9 top health and medicine breakthroughs of 2020," 2 Dec. 2020 Using fluorescence microscopy to analyze the cultures, the researchers could observe which cells were becoming lignified (or turning into wood) and also evaluate their enlargement and elongation. — Keith Gillogly, Wired, "Nature Makes Wood. Could a Lab Make It Better?," 16 Feb. 2021 The common condition can get progressively worse as a person ages and that ocular elongation extends. — Claire Maldarelli, Popular Science, "The 9 top health and medicine breakthroughs of 2020," 2 Dec. 2020 The common condition can get progressively worse as a person ages and that ocular elongation extends. — Claire Maldarelli, Popular Science, "The 9 top health and medicine breakthroughs of 2020," 2 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'elongation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

1 Apr 2021

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“Elongation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elongation. Accessed 10 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for elongation

elongation

noun

elon·ga·tion | \ (ˌ)ē-ˌlȯŋ-ˈgā-shən

Medical Definition of elongation

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

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