oval
adjective
having the general form, shape, or outline of an egg; egg-shaped.
oval
American
[oh-vuhl]
/ ˈoʊ vəl /
adjective
-
having the general form, shape, or outline of an egg; egg-shaped.
-
ellipsoidal or elliptical.
noun
-
an object of oval shape.
-
a body or plane figure that is oval in shape or outline.
-
an elliptical field or a field on which an elliptical track is laid out, as for athletic contests.
-
Informal. a football.
oval
1
British
/ ˈəʊvəl, əʊˈvælɪtɪ /
adjective
noun
Oval
2
British
/ ˈəʊvəl /
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of oval
1560–70; < New Latin ōvālis, equivalent to Latin ōv ( um ) egg 1 + -ālis -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A keen Chelsea fan, she played football alongside her rugby until a move to Hartpury College and its dedicated rugby programme at 16 focused her exclusively on all matters oval.
From BBC • May 6, 2026
They also have an oval tooth patch and striking red eyes with a black pupil bordered by a thin gold ring.
From Science Daily • Mar. 23, 2026
“The problem with an oval table is there’s an implicit hierarchy between people sitting at the center and people sitting at the edges,” said Knot.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026
Over the past two weeks inside the Milan oval, he has grabbed two gold medals and a silver—and he may not be done yet.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026
He twisted it to catch the light and saw a group of hieroglyphics enclosed in an oval line.
From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
