What is "oblate spheroid"

Spheroid \Sphe"roid\, n. [L. spheroides ball-like, spherical, Gr. ???; ???? sphere + e'i^dos form: cf. F. sph['e]ro["i]de.] A body or figure approaching to a sphere, but not perfectly spherical; esp., a solid generated by the revolution of an ellipse about one of its axes.

Oblate spheroid, Prolate spheroid. See Oblate, Prolate, and Ellipsoid.

Oblate \Ob*late"\, a. [L. oblatus, used as p. p. of offerre to bring forward, offer, dedicate; ob (see Ob-) + latus borne, for tlatus. See Tolerate.]

1. (Geom.) Flattened or depressed at the poles; as, the earth is an oblate spheroid.

2. Offered up; devoted; consecrated; dedicated; -- used chiefly or only in the titles of Roman Catholic orders. See Oblate, n.

   Oblate ellipsoid or Oblate spheroid (Geom.), a solid generated by the revolution of an ellipse about its minor axis; an oblatum. Contrasted with prolate spheroid. See Ellipsoid of revolution, under Ellipsoid.