sausagelike

Sausagelike is an adjective used to describe something that resembles a sausage in shape: elongated and cylindrical with rounded ends. The term can apply to physical objects, anatomical structures, or abstract forms in art and design.

Etymology and spelling: The word combines sausage with the suffix -like. It is commonly written as sausagelike or sausage-like; both forms appear in English-language sources. The term is descriptive and nontechnical in everyday use, and may function as a literal comparison or as a metaphor.

Usage and examples: In science and medicine, sausagelike describes structures that are elongated and cylindrical—for example certain muscles, ducts, or tumors that have a cylindrical form; in biology, some cells or organisms with an elongated, rodlike shape may be described as sausagelike. In paleontology and archaeology, sausage-like forms may describe fossilized vertebrate bones, elongated seeds or seedpods, or cylindrical artifacts. In design, architecture, and art, sausagelike shapes are used to convey a soft, organic silhouette or to fit ergonomic requirements, as in handles, sculptures, or industrial components.

See also: sausage-shaped, vermiform, tubiform.