Oblate

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈɒbleɪt/ (or IPA: /ɒˈbleɪt/ for adjective)
• US IPA: /ˈɑbleɪt/

From French oblat and its source, post-classical Latin oblatus ‘person dedicated to religious life’, a noun use of the past participle of offerre ‘to offer’.

Full definition of oblate

Noun

1. Roman Catholic Church A person dedicated to a life of religion or monasticism, especially a member of an order without religious vows or a lay member of a religious community.
2. A child given up by its parents into the keeping or dedication of a religious order or house.
• 2007: The Venerable Bede started as an oblate at St Paul's, Jarrow, but by the time of his death in 735 was surely the most learned man in Europe. — Tom Shippey, ‘I Lerne Song’, London Review of Books 29:4, p. 19

Related terms

• oblation

From Late Latin oblātus, from Latin ob ("in front of, before") + lātus ("broad, wide"), (modelled after prōlātus ("extended, lengthened")).

Adjective

1. Flattened or depressed at the poles.The Earth is an oblate spheroid.
• 1922: Why should I not speak to him or to any human being who walks upright upon this oblate orange? — James Joyce, Ulysses
• 1997: ‘ ’Tis prolate, still,’ with a long dejected Geordie O. ‘Isn’t it…?’ ‘I’m an Astronomer,– trust me, ’tis gone well to oblate.’ — Thomas Pynchon, Mason & Dixon

Antonyms

• prolate

Related terms

• oblatum

Anagrams

• boatel, lobate