oval

An oval is a rounded shape that is usually longer than it is wide. It is not a perfect circle, and it has no corners. If you imagine a circle being gently stretched, you have a good picture of an oval. You can see this shape in an egg, a mirror, a picture frame, or a running track. In simple terms, it has a longer way across and a shorter way across. The word comes from the Latin ovum, meaning "egg."

The word "oval" describes a closed, rounded shape that looks like a stretched circle. Unlike a perfect circle, which is the same distance across in every direction, an oval is usually longer in one direction and shorter in the other. That difference gives it its familiar egg-like form.

You will meet this shape in many ordinary places: in bird eggs, leaves, mirrors, picture frames, tables, and sports tracks. People often choose it in art, design, and architecture because it feels softer and smoother than a shape with corners. It can make an object look gentle, balanced, or elegant.

In everyday English, "oval" is a broad, practical word for this kind of shape. In mathematics, people may make a more exact distinction between an oval and an ellipse, but in normal conversation the two words are often used in similar ways. A well-known example is the Oval Office in the White House, which is named for the shape of the room. Whether you are describing a stone in a ring, the face of a mirror, or the outline of a stadium, "oval" is a natural word for something rounded but not perfectly circular.