sphere

[ sfeer ]
See synonyms for sphere on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Geometry.

    • a solid geometric figure generated by the revolution of a semicircle about its diameter; a round body whose surface is at all points equidistant from the center. Equation: x2 + y2 + z2 = r2.

    • the surface of such a figure; a spherical surface.

  2. any rounded body approximately of this form; a globular mass, shell, etc.

  1. Astronomy.

    • a planet or star; heavenly body.

    • any of the transparent, concentric, spherical shells, or layers, in which, according to ancient belief, the planets, stars, and other heavenly bodies were set.

  2. the place or environment within which a person or thing exists; a field of activity or operation: to be out of one's professional sphere.

  3. a particular social world, stratum of society, or walk of life: His social sphere is small.

  4. a field of something specified: a sphere of knowledge.

verb (used with object),sphered, spher·ing.
  1. to enclose in or as if in a sphere.

  2. to form into a sphere.

  1. to place among the heavenly spheres.

Origin of sphere

1
1250–1300; <Late Latin sphēra,Latin sphaera globe <Greek sphaîra ball; replacing Middle English spere<Old French spere<Late Latin spēra, variant of sphēra

Other words for sphere

Other words from sphere

  • sphereless, adjective
  • spherelike, adjective
  • subsphere, noun
  • un·spher·ing, adjective

Other definitions for -sphere (2 of 2)

-sphere

  1. a combining form of sphere (planisphere); having a special use in the names of the layers of gases and the like surrounding the earth and other celestial bodies (ionosphere).

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for sphere (1 of 2)

sphere

/ (sfɪə) /


noun
  1. maths

    • a three-dimensional closed surface such that every point on the surface is equidistant from a given point, the centre

    • the solid figure bounded by this surface or the space enclosed by it. Equation: (x–a)² + (y–b)² + (z–c)² = r ², where r is the radius and (a, b, c) are the coordinates of the centre; surface area: 4π r ²; volume: 4π r ³/3

  2. any object having approximately this shape; globe

  1. the night sky considered as a vaulted roof; firmament

  2. any heavenly object such as a planet, natural satellite, or star

  3. (in the Ptolemaic or Copernican systems of astronomy) one of a series of revolving hollow globes, arranged concentrically, on whose transparent surfaces the sun (or in the Copernican system the earth), the moon, the planets, and fixed stars were thought to be set, revolving around the earth (or in the Copernican system the sun)

  4. particular field of activity; environment: that's out of my sphere

  5. a social class or stratum of society

verb(tr) mainly poetic
  1. to surround or encircle

  2. to place aloft or in the heavens

Origin of sphere

1
C14: from Late Latin sphēra, from Latin sphaera globe, from Greek sphaira

British Dictionary definitions for -sphere (2 of 2)

-sphere

n combining form
  1. having the shape or form of a sphere: bathysphere

  2. indicating a spherelike enveloping mass: atmosphere

Derived forms of -sphere

  • -spheric, adj combining form

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for sphere

sphere

[ sfîr ]


  1. A three-dimensional geometric surface having all of its points the same distance from a given point.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.