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
-
ovals
plural
-
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 /
adjective
noun
Oval
2
British
/ ˈəʊvəl /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
ovalnessnoun
-
semiovalnessnoun
-
half-ovaladjective
-
pseudoovaladjective
-
semiovaladjective
-
ovallyadverb
-
pseudoovallyadverb
-
semiovallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
See Examples For:
The ghostly appendages stack themselves in front of the singer, forming a protective wall, then reassemble to ring her like an oval frame around a portrait.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
Crisp lines appear in Rosales’ art, but the shape of “East of the River” is a lively oval.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
The metal poles were severed, leaving the distinctive black oval cameras and accompanying solar panels lying on the ground.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
It has a roughly oval shape and a prominent depression near its south pole.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026
His face was wild-eyed scared, his mouth a huge dark oval.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
Still, the formal Oval Office address comes with many advantages.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 9, 2026
He doesn’t need a formal Oval Office address to explain what he is doing in Iran.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 9, 2026
Thursday's executive order declares the Oval Office to be a national monument, along with some of its surrounding rooms.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
"We like the Oval Office, and it's a symbol like the White House itself. It's a symbol of our country and the greatness of our country," Trump said.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
That morning, Barack had made a last visit to the Oval Office, leaving a handwritten note for his successor.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
The Pettit National Ice Center, in Milwaukee, is one of two Olympic-grade long-track ovals in the entire U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 11, 2026
The orange ovals here show how a perfect circle on the globe is distorted depending on where it is located.
From Slate ● Jan. 21, 2026
Schumacher will compete in his first oval races, with six ovals on the 17-race IndyCar schedule, including the feature Indianapolis 500 next May 24.
From Barron's ● Nov. 24, 2025
The Earth-size ovals, which are visible only at ultraviolet wavelengths, are embedded in layers of stratospheric haze that cap the planet's poles.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 26, 2024
Next to her were a cluster of egg-shaped ovals and smaller water monsters.
From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
