What Shape Is an Oblong?

An oblong can also describe any shape that is longer than it is wide. For instance, an oval is also considered oblong. Some common examples are a piece of paper or a spaghetti squash. The word originated from the French word "oblonge," which came from the Latin word "oblongus." It first came into English in Middle English. Essentially, the Latin word means "long," from "longus" and "towards," from "ob"; in other words, leaning toward being long rather than short.