Ovals

An oval is a closed, curved shape that resembles an ellipse or a traditional egg shape. In everyday language it describes any elongated round form, from sports tracks and picture frames to leaves and other objects. Ovals are generally smooth and rounded, without sharp corners or pointed ends.

In mathematics, the term oval is more informal and is often used to describe a simple, closed convex curve. An ellipse is a precise geometric figure defined as the set of points for which the sum of distances to two fixed points is constant. All ellipses are ovals in the broad sense, but not every oval is an ellipse; some ovals do not satisfy the ellipse property or may lack the same level of symmetry.

Common examples include the ellipse itself and egg-shaped ovals (more pointed at one end). Tracks and certain stadium shapes are also described as ovals, formed by combining circular arcs and straight segments to create a rounded, elongated boundary. In design and manufacturing, “oval” often refers to a rounded or elongated form that may not correspond to any exact mathematical curve.

The word oval derives from the Latin ovum, meaning egg, reflecting the egg-like appearance of many ovals. It has been used across disciplines—from geometry to botany and everyday description—to convey a broad sense of a smooth, rounded, convex outline. See also ellipse, ovoid, and convex geometry.