sphere

¹sphere

noun \ˈsfir\

Definition of SPHERE

1

a (1) : the apparent surface of the heavens of which half forms the dome of the visible sky (2) : any of the concentric and eccentric revolving spherical transparent shells in which according to ancient astronomy stars, sun, planets, and moon are set b : a globe depicting such a sphere; broadly : globe a

2

a : a globular body : ball b : planet, star c (1) : a solid that is bounded by a surface consisting of all points at a given distance from a point constituting its center — see volume table (2) : the bounding surface of a sphere

3

: natural, normal, or proper place; especially : social order or rank <not in the same sphere as his moneyed friends>

4

a obsolete : orbit b : an area or range over or within which someone or something acts, exists, or has influence or significance <the public sphere>

— spher·ic \ˈsfir-ik, ˈsfer-\ adjective, archaic

— sphe·ric·i·ty \sfir-ˈi-sə-tē\ noun

Examples of SPHERE

1. All points on a sphere are the same distance from the center.
2. Women at that time were confined to the domestic sphere.
3. They recognize that jobs in the public sphere are valuable.

Origin of SPHERE

Middle English spere globe, celestial sphere, from Anglo-French espere, from Latin sphaera, from Greek sphaira, literally, ball; perhaps akin to Greek spairein to quiver — more at spurn

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to SPHERE

Synonyms: globe, orb, ¹ball

Related Words: bead, globule; egg, ellipse, loop, oval, spheroid; circle, ring, rondure, round; chunk, clump, gob, hunk, lump, nugget, wad

Near Antonyms: block, cube, rectangle, square

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Other Astronomy Terms

gibbous, nadir, nebulous, penumbra, retrograde, sidereal, syzygy, wane, wax, zenith

Rhymes with SPHERE

beer, bier, blear, cere, cheer, clear, dear, deer, Deere, drear, ear, fear, fere, fleer, gear, hear, here, jeer, leer, mere, mir, near, peer, pier, Pierre, queer, rear, schmear, sear, seer, sere, shear, sheer, skirr, smear, sneer, spear, speer, steer, tear, tier, Trier, Tyr, veer, weir, year