Adjacent Words

Sphere definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SPHERE, n. [L. sphera.]
1. In geometry, a solid body contained under a single surface, which in every part is equally distant from a point called its center. The earth is not an exact sphere. The sun appears to be a sphere.
2. An orb or globe of the mundane system. First the sun, a mighty sphere, he fram'd. Then mortal ears had heard the music of the spheres.
3. An orbicular body, or a circular figure representing the earth or apparent heavens.
4. Circuit of motion; revolution; orbit; as the diurnal sphere.
5. The concave or vast orbicular expanse in which the heavenly orbs appear.
6. Circuit of action, knowledge or influence; compass; province; employment. Every man has his particular sphere of action, in which it should be his ambition to excel. Events of this kind have repeatedly fallen within the sphere of my knowledge. This man treats of matters not within his sphere.
7. Rank; order of society. Persons moving in a higher sphere claim more deference.
SPHERE OF ACTIVITY of a body, the whole space or extent reached by the effluvia emitted from it.
A RIGHT SPHERE, that aspect of the heavens in which the circles of daily motion of the heavenly bodies, are perpendicular to the horizon. A spectator at the equator views a right sphere.
A PARALLEL SPHERE, that in which the circles of daily motion are parallel to the horizon. A spectator at either of the poles, would view a parallel sphere.
AN OBLIQUE SPHERE, that in which the circles of daily motion are oblique to the horizon. as is the case to a spectator at any point between the equator and either pole.
ARMILLARY SPHERE, an artificial representation of the circles of the sphere, by means of brass rings.
SPHERE, v.t.
1. To place in a sphere. The glorious planet Sol in novel eminence enthron'd, and spher'd amidst the res. [Unusual.]
2. To form into roundness; as light sphered in a radiant cloud.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: 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" [syn: sphere, domain, area, orbit, field, arena]
2: any spherically shaped artifact
3: the geographical area in which one nation is very influential [syn: sphere, sphere of influence]
4: a particular aspect of life or activity; "he was helpless in an important sector of his life" [syn: sector, sphere]
5: a solid figure bounded by a spherical surface (including the space it encloses)
6: a three-dimensional closed surface such that every point on the surface is equidistant from the center
7: the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected [syn: celestial sphere, sphere, empyrean, firmament, heavens, vault of heaven, welkin]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: 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 Date: 14th century 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> • spheric adjective, archaic • sphericity noun II. transitive verb (sphered; sphering) Date: 1602 1. to place in a sphere or among the spheres ; ensphere 2. to form into a sphere

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a solid figure, or its surface, with every point on its surface equidistant from its centre. 2 an object having this shape; a ball or globe. 3 a any celestial body. b a globe representing the earth. c poet. the heavens; the sky. d the sky perceived as a vault upon or in which celestial bodies are represented as lying. e hist. each of a series of revolving concentrically arranged spherical shells in which celestial bodies were formerly thought to be set in a fixed relationship. 4 a a field of action, influence, or existence (have done much within their own sphere). b a (usu. specified) stratum of society or social class (moves in quite another sphere). --v.tr. archaic or poet. 1 enclose in or as in a sphere. 2 form into a sphere. Phrases and idioms: music (or harmony) of the spheres the natural harmonic tones supposedly produced by the movement of the celestial spheres (see sense 3e of n.) or the bodies fixed in them. oblique (or parallel or right) sphere the sphere of the apparent heavens at a place where there is an oblique, zero, or right angle between the equator and the horizon. sphere of influence the claimed or recognized area of a State's interests, an individual's control, etc. Derivatives: spheral adj. Etymology: ME sper(e) f. OF espere f. LL sphera, L f. Gk sphaira ball

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Sphere Sphere, n. [OE. spere, OF. espere, F. sph[`e]re, L. sphaera,. Gr. ??? a sphere, a ball.] 1. (Geom.) A body or space contained under a single surface, which in every part is equally distant from a point within called its center. 2. Hence, any globe or globular body, especially a celestial one, as the sun, a planet, or the earth. Of celestial bodies, first the sun, A mighty sphere, he framed. --Milton. 3. (Astron.) (a) The apparent surface of the heavens, which is assumed to be spherical and everywhere equally distant, in which the heavenly bodies appear to have their places, and on which the various astronomical circles, as of right ascension and declination, the equator, ecliptic, etc., are conceived to be drawn; an ideal geometrical sphere, with the astronomical and geographical circles in their proper positions on it. (b) In ancient astronomy, one of the concentric and eccentric revolving spherical transparent shells in which the stars, sun, planets, and moon were supposed to be set, and by which they were carried, in such a manner as to produce their apparent motions. 4. (Logic) The extension of a general conception, or the totality of the individuals or species to which it may be applied. 5. Circuit or range of action, knowledge, or influence; compass; province; employment; place of existence. To be called into a huge sphere, and not to be seen to move in 't. --Shak. Taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity, and inclosing her in a sphere by herself. --Hawthorne. Each in his hidden sphere of joy or woe Our hermit spirits dwell. --Keble. 6. Rank; order of society; social positions. 7. An orbit, as of a star; a socket. [R.] --Shak. Armillary sphere, Crystalline sphere, Oblique sphere,. See under Armillary, Crystalline,. Doctrine of the sphere, applications of the principles of spherical trigonometry to the properties and relations of the circles of the sphere, and the problems connected with them, in astronomy and geography, as to the latitudes and longitudes, distance and bearing, of places on the earth, and the right ascension and declination, altitude and azimuth, rising and setting, etc., of the heavenly bodies; spherical geometry. Music of the spheres. See under Music. Syn: Globe; orb; circle. See Globe.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Sphere Sphere, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sphered; p. pr. & vb. n. Sphering.] 1. To place in a sphere, or among the spheres; to insphere. The glorious planet Sol In noble eminence enthroned and sphered Amidst the other. --Shak. 2. To form into roundness; to make spherical, or spheral; to perfect. --Tennyson.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(spheres) 1. A sphere is an object that is completely round in shape like a ball. N-COUNT 2. A sphere of activity or interest is a particular area of activity or interest. ...the sphere of international politics. ...nurses, working in all spheres of the health service. = field N-COUNT: usu N of n 3. A sphere of people is a group of them who are similar in social status or who have the same interests. ...the realities of life outside the government and academic spheres of society. N-COUNT: usu N of n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Globe, ball, orb. 2. Circuit, circle, compass, province, department, walk, beat, function, vocation, office, employment. 3. Rank, standing, order. 4. Region, realm, domain, quarter, country. 5. Socket, orbit.

Moby Thesaurus

Aldebaran, Canicula, Dog Star, Hesper, Hesperus, Lucifer, North Star, Phosphor, Phosphorus, Polaris, Sirius, Venus, Vesper, academic discipline, academic specialty, acreage, agora, ambit, amphitheater, applied science, area, arena, art, athletic field, auditorium, background, bag, bailiwick, ball, balloon, bear garden, beat, bladder, blob, boll, bolus, border, borderland, bowl, boxing ring, breadth, bubble, bulb, bulbil, bulblet, bull ring, campus, canvas, caste, celestial body, champaign, circle, circuit, circus, class, cockpit, coliseum, colosseum, comet, concern, condition, continuum, course, daystar, demesne, department, department of knowledge, dimension, discipline, domain, dominion, drop, droplet, echelon, ellipsoid, emptiness, empty space, ensphere, evening star, expanse, expansion, extension, extent, field, field of inquiry, field of study, fixed stars, floor, footing, forte, forum, galactic space, geoid, globe, globelet, globoid, globule, glomerulus, gob, gobbet, ground, gym, gymnasium, hall, heavenly body, hemisphere, hierarchy, hippodrome, infinite space, interstellar space, judicial circuit, jurisdiction, knob, knot, level, lists, living sapphires, locale, lodestar, march, marketplace, mat, measure, milieu, morning star, natural science, nothingness, oblate spheroid, ology, open forum, orb, orbit, orblet, order, outer space, palaestra, pale, parade ground, pellet, pit, place, platform, polar star, polestar, position, power structure, precedence, precinct, prize ring, prolate spheroid, proportion, province, public square, pure science, purlieu, range, rank, rate, rating, realm, ring, rondure, round, scene, scene of action, scenery, science, setting, site, social science, society, space, spatial extension, specialty, spheroid, spherule, spread, squared circle, stadium, stage, stage set, stage setting, standing, starry host, stars, station, status, stratum, study, subdiscipline, subject, superficial extension, surface, technicology, technics, technology, terrain, territory, theater, thing, tilting ground, tiltyard, tract, void, volume, walk, walk of life, wrestling ring