oval

[ oh-vuhl ]

/ ˈoʊ vəl /

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See synonyms for: oval / ovals on Thesaurus.com

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.

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Origin of oval

1560–70; <New Latin ōvālis, equivalent to Latin ōv(um) egg¹ + -ālis-al¹

OTHER WORDS FROM oval

o·val·ly, adverbo·val·ness, nounhalf-oval, adjective, nounpseu·do·o·val, adjective

pseu·do·o·val·ly, adverbsem·i·o·val, adjectivesem·i·o·val·ly, adverbsem·i·o·val·ness, noun

Words nearby oval

outyear, ouzel, ouzo, ov-, ova, oval, ovalbumin, ovality, oval kumquat, Ovalle, oval of Cassini

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use oval in a sentence

During the early Holocene, summers in the northern hemisphere were hotter as the Earth moved in a more oval-shaped orbit, causing larger swings between hot and cold.
Earth used to be cooler than we thought, which changes our math on global warming|Philip Kiefer|January 28, 2021|Popular-Science
Tracked on a GPS, our path looks like a toddler drawing ovals.
Can a hunter outrun an antelope? This ultra-marathoner is finding out.|By Christine Peterson/Outdoor Life|November 23, 2020|Popular-Science
A daring plan for downsizing would mean the end of the global empire of old, but it could ensure that the blue oval survives on what Ford does best.
Ford, just admit it: You’re a truckmaker now|Shawn Tully|September 21, 2020|Fortune
The blue oval shows the ring of auroras that continually surround Jupiter’s north pole.
These Images Expose the Dark Side of the Solar System - Issue 89: The Dark Side|Corey S. Powell|August 26, 2020|Nautilus

Then we move forward to take on the sad excuse for a president now occupying the oval office.
Biden-Harris a historic, winning ticket|Peter Rosenstein|August 12, 2020|Washington Blade
He attended White House strategy sessions on Vietnam and Israel; a private phone line linked his court office to the Oval Office.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Levels With Us on Why She’s Not Retiring|Jeff Greenfield|September 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His Oval Office radio addresses were famously labeled “Fireside Chats” and he called listening citizens “my friends.”
FDR: King of All Media|John Avlon|September 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Do Americans prefer a stressed out president — no fun, no sun, no life outside of the Oval Office or the Situation Room?
Yes, Obama Was Right to Golf After Foley|Daniel G. Hill|August 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her eyes dart through oval, wire-rimmed glasses that rest gently on her round cheeks.
A Shooting on a Tribal Land Uncovers Feds Running Wild|Caitlin Dickson|August 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
These types of comments coming from the White House, from the Oval Office, it takes your breath away.
Will the Tapes That Destroyed Nixon Help Rehabilitate His Image?|Scott Porch|August 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In cross-section the burrows varied from round (three inches in diameter) to oval (three inches high and four inches wide).
Summer Birds From the Yucatan Peninsula|Erwin E. Klaas
In the centre of the room is an oval table; some dozen men are sitting at it; as many more stand behind their chairs.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
Each contains a single round or oval nucleus, often located eccentrically.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
Generally, the ends are rounded and the striations faint, or only irregularly round or oval yellow masses are found.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
They are asymmetrically oval, about 50 in length, and often contain a partially developed embryo.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd

British Dictionary definitions for oval (1 of 2)

oval

/ (ˈəʊvəl) /

adjective

having the shape of an ellipse or ellipsoid

noun

anything that is oval in shape, such as a sports ground

Derived forms of oval

ovally, adverbovalness or ovality (əʊˈvælɪtɪ), noun

Word Origin for oval

C16: from Medieval Latin ōvālis, from Latin ōvum egg

British Dictionary definitions for oval (2 of 2)

Oval

/ (ˈəʊvəl) /

noun

the Oval a cricket ground in south London, in the borough of Lambeth

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

oval

Origin of oval

OTHER WORDS FROM oval

Words nearby oval

Words related to oval

How to use oval in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for oval (1 of 2)

Derived forms of oval

Word Origin for oval

British Dictionary definitions for oval (2 of 2)