ovaovalike

Ovaovalike is a descriptive term used to indicate a shape that is egg-shaped and oval-like. It is not a formal taxonomic term and is not widely standardized in major scientific glossaries, but it may appear in descriptive passages in botany, zoology, and paleontology to signal a morphology that sits between ovate and ovoid. The construction combines ova (egg) with oval-like to emphasize both egg-shaped quality and a rounded-oval silhouette.

In practice, something described as ovaovalike would be viewed as elongated along one axis with a rounded end, approximating an egg shape but not fully matching the classical definitions of ovate or ovoid. It can be used for seeds, shells, pollen grains, or fossil impressions where precise classification into standard shape categories is difficult or where the author wishes to stress multiple aspects of the form.

Because the term lacks standardization, its exact meaning can vary by author or field. For rigorous work, it is typically better to use widely accepted terms such as ovate, ovoid, ellipsoid, or elliptical, or to provide quantitative measurements (length, width, curvature) alongside the descriptor.

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