Standard Lemma guide

oblate

adj · noun · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈɒbleɪt/
  • UK: /ɒˈbleɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˈɑbleɪt/
  • rhymes with (UK adjective) -eɪt
  • CMU ARPABET: AA0 B L EY1 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: AA1 B L EY0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Designating a person who is an oblate, of or belonging to an order of oblates.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: capitalized, not-comparable

Examples

  • an Oblate Father

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Flattened or depressed at the poles.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The Earth is an oblate spheroid.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

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.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: Catholicism, Christianity, Roman-Catholicism

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A child given up by its parents into the keeping or dedication of a religious order or house.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 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

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To offer as either a gift or an oblation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: rare

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective

Meaning 6

having the equatorial diameter greater than the polar diameter; being flattened at the poles

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pumpkin-shaped

Antonyms: prolate

7

noun

Meaning 7

a lay person dedicated to religious work or the religious life

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: religious person

History

Etymology

From French oblat and its source, Ecclesiastical Latin oblātus (“person dedicated to religious life”), nominalization of oblātus, perfect passive participle of offerō (“to offer”); see -ate (noun-forming suffix).

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

Borrowed from Latin oblātus, perfect passive participle of offerō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Doublet of offer.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: aplati — Flattened or depressed at the poles
  • Portuguese: oblato — Flattened or depressed at the poles
  • Turkish: basık — Flattened or depressed at the poles