Having been made longer or stretched out in length. Describes something that has been extended beyond its normal or original proportions.
From Latin 'elongatus', past participle of 'elongare' (to remove to a distance, prolong), from 'e-' (out) + 'longus' (long). The word entered English in the 16th century, initially used in astronomy to describe the apparent distance of planets from the sun.
The term was first used in astronomy to describe planetary positions, but has since found applications everywhere from art (think of El Greco's famously elongated figures) to biology (describing stretched body parts or cells). Interestingly, many cultures throughout history have considered elongated features - necks, heads, or limbs - as marks of beauty or status.
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