Nabokov - a tease, somewhat elliptical (5)

I believe the answer is:

ovate

'elliptical' is the definition.
(synonyms)

'nabokov a tease somewhat' is the wordplay.
'somewhat' says the answer is hidden in the clue.
'OVATE' is hidden in the letters of 'nabokov a tease'.

(Other definitions for ovate that I've seen before include "Egg-shaped; Welsh bard" , "Egg-shaped - eisteddfodic graduate" , "philosopher" , "Shaped like an egg" , "Like Humpty Dumpty" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

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