Prolate adj. Stretched out; extended; especially, elongated in the direction of a line joining the poles; as, a prolate spheroid; opposed to oblate. Prolate cycloid. See the Note under Cycloid.
Prolate ellipsoid or Prolate spheroid (Geom.), a figure generated by the revolution of an ellipse about its major axis. Contrasted with oblate spheroid. See Ellipsoid of revolution, under Ellipsoid.
