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pear shaped - pyriform
Another thread has focused on "pear-shaped", leading me to wonder what other words are out there to specify particular shapes (apart from obvious words like spherical and cylindrical, and without thesaurus of course)?
P.S. Compliments to ASp, who has started several word-threads in the last few days -- an excellent idea.
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what other words are out there ... relating to shape
pear-shaped bodies do not appear in Armani ads but almond-shaped eyes are always in Vogue.
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almond-shaped = amygdaloid
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We used to say "gaussian" (as in a gaussian of revolution) instead of pear-shaped. I think it was an engineering school thing. Campanulate is the technical term.
dolabrate - shaped like an axe
lemniscate - shaped like a figure eight or infinity sign
k
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The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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ovate
spatulate
ovoid
palmate
cuneate (wedge)
cuneal (wedge)
lanceolate
cuneiform (wedge)
navicular
cultrate (knife)
cordate (heart--like the redbud tree! great leaf!)
...there are many words like these (loads!) that describe botanical and other biological shapes.
Best regards,
WaneWax
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One of my favorite shape words is torus which is a doughnut-shaped solid. Based on the examples of dolabrate and lemniscate, I'll wager the adjective is toruscate. [Homer]Mmmmm...torus[/Homer]
EDIT: Seems the preferred adjective is toroidal, toroid being an alternate noun for the same shape. Thanks to our Chicagoland correspondent, Mr. K, for that info.
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I have to admit to having once compiled a "shape-file", with the thought of doing a week of "shape-words", but many of them are really useless. I mean, come on -- shaped like a boat?? http://home.mn.rr.com/wwftd/
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old hand
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Two more from physics (and probably elsewhere) are prolate and oblate. Used to describe the two ways of squishing/pulling a sphere.
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the local lutherian church in my neighborhood is boat shaped.
it's a new building, (1950's or so) but the original was built by local fishermen, and they shaped the roof like a boat. the new building echoed the same design.
when you are in the church, you feel like you're under a great big ship! As if they took a ship that burned to the water line, drag it ashore and used it as roof for a building!
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Because Jesus on one occaseion stood in bow of beached fishing boat to address his disciples, the main part of a church is called the nave. and pulpits were often designed to look like the bow of a ship.
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Dear tsuwm...
I cannot believe that you don't like navicular!! I think that's the coolest word---and navy comes from it.
Boat-shaped? That's a very useful word. Boat-shaped shoes, and boat-shaped pastry, boat-shaped noses, and boat-shaped bouquets--boat-shaped hotdog holders--boat-shaped trowels and boat-shaped windows...
Now throw in navicular--and you sound sophisticated!
Navicular bouquets thrown out navicular windows onto passersby with navicular noses casting navicular shadows over quickly padding feet in navicular boots...
I mean, the possibilities are endless! And stunning!
Best regards,
Wordwind [raspberry with navicular tongue]
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well, okay! you can now refer to your neighborhood church as naviform (actually rare in usage) or the more common (from Anat. and Bot.) cymbiform (from the L. word for boat). and there may yet be life for my "shape-file". http://home.mn.rr.com/wwftd/
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Dear Wordwind: Don't forget, you have a navicular in each wrist!
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Dear wwh,
I KNEW you were going to mention the navicular bones in the wrists! Just knew it!! I saved that just for you!!
But I sure as heck hoped that you'd mention some other bone shapes!
Bone regards,
WristWind
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Dear tsuwm: diligent search turned up nothing on :" cybiform (from the L. word for boat)." Everybody knows about Norbert Wiener and "cybernetics" I couldn't find out background beyond "helmsman"
Please give more details about "cybiform".
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dear bill, try "cymbiform". sorry to send you on a wild-goof chase. http://home.mn.rr.com/wwftd/
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One of my favorite shape words is torus, says flatlander.
Join me for some coffee and toroidal pastry?
[Edited. Sorry, folks; made *no sense before]
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Dear tsuwm: dear bill, try "cymbiform". sorry to send you on a wild-goof chase.
So now you can forgive me for sending you on a wild anserine expedition for "excarnation"
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So now you can forgive me for sending you on a wild anserine expedition for "excarnation"bill, now you have me at a distinct disadvantage, for (1) I do not recall the incident, and (2) excarnation is a perfectly good word, in fact being an antonym <alert> for incarnation. (I suppose I shall now pay dearly for these admissions.) http://home.mn.rr.com/wwftd/
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Helen, one of the churches that I pass on my way to work, looks like a boat too. To be precise, it looks like an ark. Is there a word for ark-shaped?
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My favorite shapely words:
Peggy Remington
TEd
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my memory is refreshed, the rn/m problem. http://home.mn.rr.com/wwftd/
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My favorite shapely words:
Peggy RemingtonGood on yer, mate! 
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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Just now stumbled upon obrotund, meaning, as best I can tell, a round shape flattened on both the top and the bottom.
It is not in standard on-line dictionaries; may I ask for an OED check, please?
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List of unusual words beginning with O
... obrotund, round but flattened on top and bottom. obscurantism,
policy of withholding knowledge from the public. ...
http://phrontistery.50megs.com/o.html
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Is there an orutund? I should go check that, but I'll just let it float around for a while.
Orutund. That should be a word along with excamation!
Gosh, I'd forgotten that whole excarnation discussion. Just checked out Rapunzel's link...and it all came back. Hanging bodies as a means to transport the dead to the next life by transport of vultures. No wonder I'd forgotten it altogether!
Body regards,
WordWorried
PS: orutund is not a word. Just checked on OneLook. What a pity. And I thought of another good definition for cornobbled...Since "cor" is "heart," cornobbled could mean that you'd been hit especially hard in your heart by Cupid's arrow. Not just hit, but practically knocked over. I intend on using cornobbled that way in my personal lexicon. Also hit by a flying cob of corn would work for cornobbled. To list the ever-growing meanings of cornobbled: hit by a fish; hit by a fist; hit in the heart by Cupid's arrow; and hit by a cob of corn. It is good that language is a living, growing entity.
EditOK. I've just received a spelling error alert--and orotund is what I was thinking of, and not a shape word at all, but a sound word--that comes from rotund, which is a shape word. Now what about Oreotund--shaped like a you-know-what!! That could be useful. Or give it a second meaning, playing off of orotund, and you have someone who sounds like he's talking with a mouth full of cookies! Ha!
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obrotund, round but flattened on top and bottom
...and there's your "oblate spheroid" again, perfectly described!
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My favorite shapely words:
Peggy RemingtonTed, you are the SWEETEST thing!!!
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funnel-shaped: infundibuliform
bell-shaped: campanulate
Connie, can your mushroom expertise provide more shape-words?
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