The Collaborative International Dictionary
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.
Prolate \Pro"late\, a. [L. prolatus, used as p. p. of proferre to bring forth, to extend; pro + latus, p. p. See Pro-, and Tolerate. ] 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.
Usage examples of "prolate spheroid".
This same tidal force had earlier locked Jinx's rotation to Primary and forced the moon into an egg shape, a prolate spheroid.