oval

The word “oval” means a rounded, elongated shape like an egg or a flattened circle. In plain terms, an egg-like rounded shape, longer than it is wide.

“Oval” is pronounced OH-vuhl (/ˈoʊvəl/ in IPA).

Here is “oval” used in a sentence: “She drew an oval and added two dots for eyes.”

Words with a similar meaning to “oval” include ovular, ovoid, ovate, ovaline, elliptical and egg-shaped.

Depending on how it is used, “oval” can be a noun and an adjective.

The word “oval” comes from Late Latin. From Late Latin ovalis, "egg-shaped," from ovum, "egg.".

“Oval” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Oval” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a rounded, elongated shape like an egg or a flattened circle.

An ellipse is a precise mathematical curve defined by a fixed rule, while an oval is an everyday term for any rounded, elongated shape like an egg or a flattened circle. Every ellipse can be described as oval, but many ovals, such as egg shapes that are wider at one end, are not true ellipses.

A circle is perfectly round, with every point on its edge the same distance from the center. An oval is elongated or flattened rather than perfectly round, resembling an egg or a stretched circle.

A sports ground or arena built in a rounded, elongated shape is called an oval. The term is especially common in cricket and Australian rules football, where a ground is often known simply as "the oval."

In careful usage, oval describes a flat, two-dimensional shape, while a three-dimensional egg shape is called ovoid. In everyday speech, however, oval is often applied loosely to solid objects as well, as in "an oval pebble."