Re: OT: coins and currency (was: [Theory] Types of numerals)

Mark J. Reed wrote at 2006-01-07 15:27:05 (-0500)
 > On 1/7/06, Tim May <butsuri@...> wrote:
 > > I'm not sure what distinction you're making between "rectangular" and
 > > "oblong"; the two words are effectively synonymous to me.
 >
 > Rectangular objects have corners; oblong ones don't.   The
 > archetypical oblong shape is a circle cut in half and extended via
 > straight lines between the previously-connected endpoints of the
 > semicircles; the result is not an ellipse, but a different form of
 > "stretched circle".

Is this how the term is generally understood in America?  Because it
isn't even given as a secondary usage in my dictionary.  The New
Oxford says "having an elongated and typically rectangular shape / an
object or flat figure in this shape".

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