Ellittico vs. ovale
The Italian words 'ellittico' and 'ovale' both describe shapes that are rounded and elongated, but they have subtle differences in their precise meanings and usage.
Ellittico
'Ellittico' refers to a shape that is a perfect mathematical ellipse, with two focal points and a smooth, continuous curve.
L'orbita della Terra intorno al Sole è ellittica.
(The Earth's orbit around the Sun is elliptical.)
Il tavolo da riunioni ha una forma ellittica per ottimizzare lo spazio.
(The meeting table has an elliptical shape to optimize space.)
Ovale
'Ovale' describes a more general egg-like shape, which may be less precise mathematically but is often used in everyday language.
Il viso della modella ha un bellissimo contorno ovale.
(The model's face has a beautiful oval contour.)
Ho comprato uno specchio ovale per il bagno.
(I bought an oval mirror for the bathroom.)
Summary
While 'ellittico' is more precise and often used in scientific or mathematical contexts, 'ovale' is more commonly used in everyday language to describe egg-shaped objects or forms. 'Ellittico' always implies a true ellipse, whereas 'ovale' can refer to a wider range of oval-like shapes.