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.
Meanwhile, China’s RT-G, a spherical amphibious robot, operates in extreme environments, reaching speeds of 22 mph and enduring 4-ton impacts. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 May 2025 That’s the idea behind Rudy Project’s Astral Sphere sunglasses, which instead are cut from a spherical piece of polyurethane. Lauren Wingenroth, SELF, 1 May 2025 But Langbroek and others believe the landing capsule itself — a spherical object about 3 feet (1 meter) in diameter — has been circling the world in a highly elliptical orbit for the past 53 years, gradually dropping in altitude. Marcia Dunn, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2025 Weighing around 1,100 pounds and housed in a one-meter-wide spherical shell, it was intended to endure the searing heat and pressures of the Venusian atmosphere. Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 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 10 May. 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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