Oblongs

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A shape that is longer than it is wide, typically rectangle or oval in form
2. Referring to an object with two parallel long sides and two shorter sides, usually advantageous for various uses
3. Characterizing any figure that exceeds in length relative to its width, often applied to geometric shapes or food items

Etymology: "Oblongs" is the plural of "oblong", used as a noun for shapes that are longer than they are wide, most often rectangles that are not squares. The noun's base is an adjective, and the plural simply counts several such shapes. The adjective came into English from Middle English, where it appeared in forms such as "oblong" and "oblonge". Those spellings were taken directly from Latin "oblongus", which combined "ob", meaning "against" or "toward" in this sense, with "longus", meaning "long". The Latin sense was literally "somewhat long" or "elongated," describing a shape stretched past its natural proportions rather than a precise geometric category.

Synonyms: rectangles, elongated shapes

Antonyms: squares, circles