Lanceolate
/ˈlæn.si.ə.lət/noun
Shaped like a lance head; long and narrow, tapering to a point.
Did you know?Lanceolate comes from Latin lanceolatus, “spear-shaped,” from lancea, a spear; the same ancient weapon-root also gave English lance, so a plant term is hiding a battlefield image.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
lancea
“a spear or lance”
Late Latin
Latin
lanceolatus
“spear-shaped; having the form of a small spear”
Medieval Latin
Latin
lanceolatus
“described as shaped like a lance”
17th Century
English
lanceolate
“shaped like a lance or spear, especially of leaves”
Modern English
English
lanceolate
“long and narrow, tapering to a point, like a lance head”