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Webster 1913 Edition

Sphere

Sphere

,
Noun.
[OE.
spere
, OF.
espere
, F.
sphère
, L.
sphaera
,. Gr. [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK] 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.
Shakespeare
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
.

Sphere

,
Verb.
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.
Shakespeare
2.
To form into roundness; to make spherical, or spheral; to perfect.
Tennyson.

Webster 1828 Edition

Sphere

SPHERE

,
Noun.
[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.

Definition 2024

sphere

sphere

See also: sphère, -sphere, and -sphère

English

A two-dimensional perspective projection of a sphere

Alternative forms

Noun


sphere ‎(plural spheres)

  1. (mathematics) A regular three-dimensional object in which every cross-section is a circle; the figure described by the revolution of a circle about its diameter [from 14th c.].
  2. A spherical physical object; a globe or ball. [from 14th c.]
    • Milton
      Of celestial bodies, first the sun, / A mighty sphere, he framed.
    • 2011, Piers Sellers, The Guardian, 6 July:
      So your orientation changes a little bit but it sinks in that the world is a sphere, and you're going around it, sometimes under it, sideways, or over it.
  3. (astronomy, now rare) The apparent outer limit of space; the edge of the heavens, imagined as a hollow globe within which celestial bodies appear to be embedded. [from 14th c.]
    • 1635, John Donne, "His parting form her":
      Though cold and darkness longer hang somewhere, / Yet Phoebus equally lights all the Sphere.
  4. (historical, astronomy, mythology) Any of the concentric hollow transparent globes formerly believed to rotate around the Earth, and which carried the heavenly bodies; there were originally believed to be eight, and later nine and ten; friction between them was thought to cause a harmonious sound (the music of the spheres). [from 14th c.]
    • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essayes, London: Edward Blount, OCLC 946730821, vol.1, p.153:
      It is more simplicitie to teach our children […] [t]he knowledge of the starres, and the motion of the eighth spheare, before their owne.
    • 1646, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, I.6:
      They understood not the motion of the eighth sphear from West to East, and so conceived the longitude of the Stars invariable.
  5. (mythology) An area of activity for a planet; or by extension, an area of influence for a god, hero etc. [from 14th c.]
  6. (figuratively) The region in which something or someone is active; one's province, domain. [from 17th c.]
    • 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.20:
      They thought – originally on grounds derived from religion – that each thing or person had its or his proper sphere, to overstep which is ‘unjust’.
  7. (geometry) The set of all points in three-dimensional Euclidean space (or n-dimensional space, in topology) that are a fixed distance from a fixed point [from 20th c.].
  8. (logic) The extension of a general conception, or the totality of the individuals or species to which it may be applied.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

See also

Verb

sphere ‎(third-person singular simple present spheres, present participle sphering, simple past and past participle sphered)

  1. (transitive) To place in a sphere, or among the spheres; to ensphere.
    • Shakespeare
      The glorious planet Sol / In noble eminence enthroned and sphered / Amidst the other.
  2. (transitive) To make round or spherical; to perfect.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Tennyson to this entry?)

Anagrams

Middle French

Alternative forms

Noun

sphere f (plural spheres)

  1. sphere (shape)

Descendants

Old French

Alternative forms

Noun

sphere f ‎(oblique plural spheres, nominative singular sphere, nominative plural spheres)

  1. sphere (shape)

Descendants

References

  • (fr) Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IXe au XVe siècle (1881) (sphere, supplement)

Etymology

From Old French sphere, from Late Latin sphēra, earlier Latin sphaera ‎(“ball, globe, celestial sphere”), from Ancient Greek σφαῖρα ‎(sphaîra, “ball, globe”), of unknown origin. Compare Persian سپهر ‎(sepehr, “sky”)

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /sfɪə/
  • (US) enPR: sfîr, IPA(key): /sfɪr/
  • Rhymes: -ɪə(r)

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