spherical

adjective

spher·​i·​cal ˈsfir-i-kəl How to pronounce spherical (audio)
ˈsfer-
1
: having the form of a sphere or of one of its segments
2
: relating to or dealing with a sphere or its properties
spherically adverb

Did you know?

Something spherical is like a sphere in being round, or more or less round, in three dimensions. Apples and oranges are both spherical, for example, even though they're never perfectly round. A spheroid has a roughly spherical shape; so an asteroid, for instance, is often spheroidal—fairly round, but lumpy.

Examples of spherical in a Sentence

the planet Earth is not, in fact, perfectly spherical
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The game is playable on Nintendo Switch 1, so everyone has a chance to get in on the spherical action. PC Magazine, 31 July 2025 Those arguing that this is a special version of the movie that exists only in one specific and spherical context are right, but so are impending fears around AI manipulation in cinema and that a classic has to be made better. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 July 2025 The flash, which appears almost spherical in the image, is due to lightning striking the clouds above the urban area, according to NASA. Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 29 July 2025 Pastries and savory baked goods include bagel bombs (i.e., spherical bagels stuffed with cream cheese and bacon or jalapeno), gluten-free strawberry scones, regular and almond croissants, cinnamon rolls, banana bread, chocolate chip cookies and more. Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 29 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for spherical

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spherical was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Spherical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spherical. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

spherical

adjective
spher·​i·​cal ˈsfir-i-kəl How to pronounce spherical (audio)
ˈsfer-
: relating to or having the form of a sphere or part of a sphere
spherically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on spherical

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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