egglike

Egglike is an adjective used to describe objects that resemble an egg in shape. In everyday language, something egglike is oval, with a longer axis and a slightly broader end, though the exact proportions vary among real eggs and among objects described as egglike. The term is commonly used in biology, anatomy, botany, and design to convey an ovoid silhouette rather than a strictly spherical or cylindrical form.

In biology and anatomy, egglike shapes occur in seeds, fruits, pollen grains, and certain anatomical structures where the contour is convex and tapers toward one end. In paleontology or archaeology, artifacts and fossils may be described as egglike when their outlines or cross-sections resemble an egg. In design and architecture, egglike forms are used for ergonomic or aesthetic reasons, reflecting organic shapes favored in biomimicry and contemporary aesthetics.

The term is often treated as synonymous with ovoid or ellipsoid in casual usage, but egglike can imply a slightly asymmetrical contour similar to a real egg, whereas ovoid emphasizes a simple oval form and ellipsoid a smooth three-dimensional ellipse.

See also: egg-shaped, ovoid, ellipsoid, pear-shaped.