oblate(n = noun.person) - a lay person dedicated to religious work or the religious life;
is a kind of religious person
oblate(a = adj.all) pumpkin-shaped - having the equatorial diameter greater than the polar diameter; being flattened at the poles;
Antonym: prolate
Derived form noun oblateness1
1. Flattened or depressed at the poles; as, the earth is an oblate spheroid. [1913 Webster]
2. Offered up; devoted; consecrated; dedicated; -- used chiefly or only in the titles of Roman Catholic orders. See Oblate,
One of an association of priests or religious women who have offered themselves to the service of the church. There are three such associations of priests, and one of women, called oblates. [1913 Webster]
oblate, n. a person dedicated to a monastic or religious life or work.
oblate, adj. Geom. (of a spheroid) flattened at the poles (cf. PROLATE).
Etymology:
mod.L oblatus (as OBLATE(1))
N shortness, brevity, littleness, a span, shortening, abbreviation, abbreviature, abridgment, concision, retrenchment, curtailment, decurtation, reduction, epitome, elision, ellipsis, conciseness, abridger, epitomist, epitomizer, short, brief, curt, compendious, compact, stubby, scrimp, shorn, stubbed, stumpy, thickset, pug, chunky, decurtate, retrousse, stocky, squab, squabby, squat, dumpy, little, curtailed of its fair proportions, short by, oblate, concise, summary, shortly, in short.