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Origin and history of oval

oval(adj.)

"having the longitudinal shape of an egg, elliptical," 1570s, from Modern Latin ovalis "egg-shaped" (source of French oval, 1540s), literally "of or pertaining to an egg," from Latin ovum "egg" (see ovum). The classical Latin word was ovatus (source of ovate (adj.)). Related: Ovalness (1727); ovality (1823). Oval Office "office of the president of the United States in the White House" has been used since 1942 metonymically for "the presidency."

oval(n.)

1560s, "a plane figure in the general shape of the lengthwise outline of an egg," from French ovalle "oval figure," from noun use of Medieval Latin ovalis "of or pertaining to an egg," from Latin ovum "egg" (see ovary). The earliest use of the word in English (mid-15c.) was in reference to a Roman crown awarded as the symbol of an ovatio (see ovation).

also from 1560s

Entries linking to oval

ovary(n.)

"that part of the female animal in which eggs are generated," 1650s, from Modern Latin ovarium "ovary" (16c.), from Medieval Latin ovaria "the ovary of a bird" (13c.), from Latin ovum "egg," from PIE *ōwyo‑, *ōyyo‑ "egg," which is perhaps a derivative of the root *awi- "bird." In classical Latin, ovarius meant "egg-keeper," but Thomson ("Autumn") used ovarious (adj.) for "consisting of eggs."

ovate(adj.)

"egg-shaped," 1760, from Latin ovatus "egg-shaped," from ovum "egg" (see ovary).

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ovation
1530s, in the Roman historical sense, from French ovation or directly from Latin ovationem (nominative ovatio) "a triumph, rejoicing," noun of action from past-participle stem of ovare "exult, rejoice, triumph," probably imitative of a shout (compare Greek euazein "to utter cries
ellipse
1753, from French ellipse (17c.), from Latin ellipsis "ellipse," also, "a falling short, deficit," from Greek elleipsis (see ellipsis). So called because the conic section of the cutting plane makes a smaller angle with the base than does the side of the cone, hence, a "falling s
circus
from Latin circus "ring, circular line," which was applied by Romans to circular arenas for performances and contests and oval...
stadium
The meaning "running track" in English is recorded from c. 1600 and was extended to mean "large, open oval structure with...
circle
c. 1300, "figure of a circle, a plane figure whose periphery is everywhere equidistant from its center point," from Old French cercle "circle, ring (for the finger); hoop of a helmet or barrel" (12c.), from Latin circulus "circular figure; small ring, hoop; circular orbit" (also
cleric
"a clergyman," 1620s (also in early use as an adjective), from Church Latin clericus "clergyman, priest," noun use of adjective meaning "priestly, belonging to the clerus;" from Ecclesiastical Greek klērikos "pertaining to an inheritance," but in Greek Christian jargon by 2c., "o
legend
early 14c., "narrative dealing with a happening or an event," from Old French legende (12c., Modern French légende) and directly from Medieval Latin legenda "legend, story," especially lives of saints, which were formerly read at matins and in refectories of religious houses, lit
program
1630s, "public notice," from Late Latin programma "proclamation, edict," from Greek programma "a written public notice," from stem of prographein "to write publicly," from pro "forth" (see pro-) + graphein "to write" (see -graphy).  The meaning "written or printed list of pi
jubilee
late 14c., in the Old Testament sense, from Old French jubileu "jubilee; anniversary; rejoicing" (14c., Modern French jubilé), from Late Latin iubilaeus "the jubilee year," originally an adjective, "of the jubilee," from Greek iabelaios, from iobelos, from Hebrew yobhel "jubilee,
heresy
"doctrine or opinion at variance with established standards" (or, as Johnson defines it, "an opinion of private men different from that of the catholick and orthodox church"), c. 1200, from Old French heresie, eresie "heresy," and by extension "sodomy, immorality" (12c.), from La

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