sphere


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sphere

 (sfĭr)
n.
1. Mathematics A three-dimensional surface, all points of which are equidistant from a fixed point.
2. A spherical object or figure.
3. A celestial body, such as a planet or star.
4. The sky, appearing as a hemisphere to an observer: the sphere of the heavens.
5. Any of a series of concentric, transparent, revolving globes that together were once thought to contain the moon, sun, planets, and stars.
6.
a. A range or extent of knowledge, interest, or activity: a problem that falls within the sphere of biophysics. See Synonyms at field.
b. A social level or part of society or group: knew few people beyond his partner's sphere.
c. A range of power or influence: within the sphere of the empire.
tr.v. sphered, spher·ing, spheres
1. To form into a sphere.
2. To put in or within a sphere.

[Middle English spere, from Old French espere, from Latin sphaera, from Greek sphaira.]

sphe·ric′i·ty (sfî-rĭs′ĭ-tē) n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

sphere

(sfɪə)
n
1. (Mathematics) maths
a. a three-dimensional closed surface such that every point on the surface is equidistant from a given point, the centre
b. the solid figure bounded by this surface or the space enclosed by it. Equation: (x–a)2 + (y–b)2 + (z–c)2 = r2, where r is the radius and (a, b, c) are the coordinates of the centre; surface area: 4πr2; volume: 4πr3/3
2. any object having approximately this shape; globe
3. (Astronomy) the night sky considered as a vaulted roof; firmament
4. (Astronomy) any heavenly object such as a planet, natural satellite, or star
5. (Astronomy) (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)
6. particular field of activity; environment: that's out of my sphere.
7. (Sociology) a social class or stratum of society
vb (tr)
8. to surround or encircle
9. to place aloft or in the heavens
[C14: from Late Latin sphēra, from Latin sphaera globe, from Greek sphaira]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

sphere

(sfɪər)

n., v. sphered, spher•ing. n.
1.
a. 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.
b. the surface of such a figure; a spherical surface.
2. any rounded, globular body.
3.
a. a planet or star; heavenly body.
c. any of the transparent, concentric, spherical shells, or layers, in which, according to ancient belief, the planets, stars, and other heavenly bodies were set.
4. the environment within which a person or thing exists, acts, or operates.
5. a field of something specified: a sphere of knowledge.
v.t.
6. to enclose in a sphere.
7. to form into a sphere.
8. to place among the heavenly spheres.
[1275–1325; < Old French espere < Late Latin spēra, Latin sphaera globe < Greek sphaîra]

-sphere

a combining form meaning “sphere,” “something spherical in shape” (hemisphere), used esp. in the names of the concentric layers of gases, water, rock, etc., characteristic of the earth or other celestial bodies (ionosphere; lithosphere).
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
click for a larger image
sphere
The volume (V) of a sphere can be calculated using the following equation: V = 4/3 πr3.

sphere

(sfîr)
A three-dimensional geometric surface having all of its points the same distance from a given point.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

sphere

  • great circle - Any circle on the surface of a sphere that lies on a plane through its center, or a circle that divides into two equal parts—as the Equator.
  • quadrant - A quarter of a circle or sphere.
  • rhumb line - A line on a sphere that cuts all meridians at the same angle; the path taken by a ship or plane that maintains a constant compass direction.
  • diameter - From Greek, meaning "measure through" (a circle or sphere, etc.).
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sphere

 the persons with whom one is normally in contact, 1839; a group of persons of a certain rank, standing, or interest, 1601.
Examples: sphere of sweet affections, 1602; of fortunes, 1671; of the theatre; of the world of music.
Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

sphere


Past participle: sphered
Gerund: sphering

Imperative
sphere
sphere
Present
I sphere
you sphere
he/she/it spheres
we sphere
you sphere
they sphere
Preterite
I sphered
you sphered
he/she/it sphered
we sphered
you sphered
they sphered
Present Continuous
I am sphering
you are sphering
he/she/it is sphering
we are sphering
you are sphering
they are sphering
Present Perfect
I have sphered
you have sphered
he/she/it has sphered
we have sphered
you have sphered
they have sphered
Past Continuous
I was sphering
you were sphering
he/she/it was sphering
we were sphering
you were sphering
they were sphering
Past Perfect
I had sphered
you had sphered
he/she/it had sphered
we had sphered
you had sphered
they had sphered
Future
I will sphere
you will sphere
he/she/it will sphere
we will sphere
you will sphere
they will sphere
Future Perfect
I will have sphered
you will have sphered
he/she/it will have sphered
we will have sphered
you will have sphered
they will have sphered
Future Continuous
I will be sphering
you will be sphering
he/she/it will be sphering
we will be sphering
you will be sphering
they will be sphering
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been sphering
you have been sphering
he/she/it has been sphering
we have been sphering
you have been sphering
they have been sphering
Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been sphering
you will have been sphering
he/she/it will have been sphering
we will have been sphering
you will have been sphering
they will have been sphering
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been sphering
you had been sphering
he/she/it had been sphering
we had been sphering
you had been sphering
they had been sphering
Conditional
I would sphere
you would sphere
he/she/it would sphere
we would sphere
you would sphere
they would sphere
Past Conditional
I would have sphered
you would have sphered
he/she/it would have sphered
we would have sphered
you would have sphered
they would have sphered
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.sphere - a particular environment or walk of lifesphere - a particular environment or walk of life; "his social sphere is limited"; "it was a closed area of employment"; "he's out of my orbit"
environment - the totality of surrounding conditions; "he longed for the comfortable environment of his living room"
distaff - the sphere of work by women
front - a sphere of activity involving effort; "the Japanese were active last week on the diplomatic front"; "they advertise on many different fronts"
kingdom, realm, land - a domain in which something is dominant; "the untroubled kingdom of reason"; "a land of make-believe"; "the rise of the realm of cotton in the south"
lap - an area of control or responsibility; "the job fell right in my lap"
political arena, political sphere - a sphere of intense political activity
preserve - a domain that seems to be specially reserved for someone; "medicine is no longer a male preserve"
province, responsibility - the proper sphere or extent of your activities; "it was his province to take care of himself"
2.sphere - any spherically shaped artifact
artefact, artifact - a man-made object taken as a whole
globe - a sphere on which a map (especially of the earth) is represented
3.sphere - the geographical area in which one nation is very influential
4.sphere - a particular aspect of life or activity; "he was helpless in an important sector of his life"
aspect, facet - a distinct feature or element in a problem; "he studied every facet of the question"
department - a specialized sphere of knowledge; "baking is not my department"; "his work established a new department of literature"
5.sphere - a solid figure bounded by a spherical surface (including the space it encloses)
round shape - a shape that is curved and without sharp angles
conglobation, conglomeration - a rounded spherical form
globe, orb, ball - an object with a spherical shape; "a ball of fire"
drop, bead, pearl - a shape that is spherical and small; "he studied the shapes of low-viscosity drops"; "beads of sweat on his forehead"
6.sphere - a three-dimensional closed surface such that every point on the surface is equidistant from the center
steradian, sr - the unit of solid angle adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
round shape - a shape that is curved and without sharp angles
7.sphere - the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projectedsphere - the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected
apex of the sun's way, solar apex, apex - the point on the celestial sphere toward which the sun and solar system appear to be moving relative to the fixed stars
celestial point - a point in the heavens (on the celestial sphere)
nadir - the point below the observer that is directly opposite the zenith on the imaginary sphere against which celestial bodies appear to be projected
surface - the extended two-dimensional outer boundary of a three-dimensional object; "they skimmed over the surface of the water"; "a brush small enough to clean every dental surface"; "the sun has no distinct surface"
zenith - the point above the observer that is directly opposite the nadir on the imaginary sphere against which celestial bodies appear to be projected
zodiac - a belt-shaped region in the heavens on either side to the ecliptic; divided into 12 constellations or signs for astrological purposes
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

sphere

noun
1. ball, globe, orb, globule, circle The cactus will form a large sphere crested with golden thorns.
2. field, range, area, department, function, territory, capacity, province, patch, scope, turf (U.S. slang), realm, domain, compass, walk of life the sphere of international politics
3. rank, class, station, status, stratum life outside academic spheres of society
sphere of influence area, range, scope, field, extent, orbit, jurisdiction, compass, remit the British or American spheres of influence
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

sphere

noun
An area within which something or someone exists, acts, or has influence or power:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
جِسْم كروي
koulekulová plocha
kugle
kera
کره
pallo
kuglasfera
gömbhatáskörkörterület
hnöttur
rutulio pavidalo
bumbalodesfēra
kroglasfera
fackfältgebitglobklass

sphere

[sfɪəʳ] N
1. (Astron, Math etc) → esfera f
2. (fig) → esfera f
in the social sphereen la esfera social
sphere of influenceesfera f de influencia
sphere of activitycampo m de actividad, esfera f de actividad
his sphere of interestel ámbito de sus intereses
in the sphere of politicsen el mundo de la política
that's outside my sphereeso no es de mi competencia
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

sphere

[ˈsfɪər] n
(= round object) → sphère f
[activity] → domaine m
sphere of interest → centre m d'intérêt
sphere of influence → sphère f d'influence
[society] → milieu m
the influential people in her sphere → les personnes influentes de son milieu
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

sphere

n
Kugel f; (= heavenly sphere)Gestirn nt (geh); (old Astron) → Sphäre f (old); the celestial sphere (poet)das Himmelszelt (poet); to be a spherekugelförmig sein
(fig)Sphäre f, → Welt f; (of person, personal experience)Bereich m; (of knowledge etc)Gebiet nt, → Feld nt; (= social etc circle)Kreis m; in the sphere of politicsin der Welt der Politik; his sphere of interest/influencesein Interessen-/Einflussbereich; sphere of activity (= job, specialism)Wirkungskreis m; that’s outside my spheredas geht über meinen Horizont; (= not my responsibility)das ist nicht mein Gebiet
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

sphere

[sfɪəʳ] n (gen) → sfera
his sphere of interest → la sua sfera d'interessi
his sphere of activity → il suo campo di attività
within a limited sphere → in un ambito molto ristretto
sphere of influence → sfera d'influenza
that's outside my sphere → non rientra nelle mie competenze
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

sphere

(sfiə) noun
a solid object with a surface on which all points are an equal distance from the centre, like eg most types of ball.
spherical (ˈsferikəl) adjective
completely round, like a ball. It is now known that the world is not flat, but spherical; a spherical object.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

sphere

n. esfera.
1. estructura en forma de globo;
2. ambiente sociológico.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
References in classic literature ?
If a number of equal spheres be described with their centres placed in two parallel layers; with the centre of each sphere at the distance of radius x sqrt(2) or radius x 1.41421 (or at some lesser distance), from the centres of the six surrounding spheres in the same layer; and at the same distance from the centres of the adjoining spheres in the other and parallel layer; then, if planes of intersection between the several spheres in both layers be formed, there will result a double layer of hexagonal prisms united together by pyramidal bases formed of three rhombs; and the rhombs and the sides of the hexagonal prisms will have every angle identically the same with the best measurements which have been made of the cells of the hive-bee.
In speaking of a faculty I think only of its sphere and its result; and that which has the same sphere and the same result I call the same faculty, but that which has another sphere and another result I call different.
A perfect sphere, full two hundred feet in diameter, the top of it was a hundred feet below the level of the rim.
We may also notice that, on the lunar sphere, the south pole is much more continental than the north pole.
1-17) Ares, exceeding in strength, chariot-rider, golden- helmed, doughty in heart, shield-bearer, Saviour of cities, harnessed in bronze, strong of arm, unwearying, mighty with the spear, O defence of Olympus, father of warlike Victory, ally of Themis, stern governor of the rebellious, leader of righteous men, sceptred King of manliness, who whirl your fiery sphere among the planets in their sevenfold courses through the aether wherein your blazing steeds ever bear you above the third firmament of heaven; hear me, helper of men, giver of dauntless youth!
[Note: The Author desires me to add, that the misconception of some of his critics on this matter has induced him to insert in his dialogue with the Sphere, certain remarks which have a bearing on the point in question, and which he had previously omitted as being tedious and unnecessary.]
In his humble sphere he was esteemed an honest man, although like many of his class in English towns he was somewhat addicted to drink.
It had been built by an earlier settler, and abandoned, because the soil about it was too sterile for cultivation, while its comparative remoteness put it out of the sphere of that social activity which already marked the habits of the emigrants.
But tell me, hath every sphere a dominion or intelligentia?
The two great points of difference between a democracy and a republic are: first, the delegation of the government, in the latter, to a small number of citizens elected by the rest; secondly, the greater number of citizens, and greater sphere of country, over which the latter may be extended.
It moves with the majestic rhythm of the spheres. Its discordant clashes sweep upward in one harmonious tone that blends with the music of other worlds--to complete God's orchestra.
Upon those crystalline, celestial spheres! How dark a woe, yet how sublime a hope!