“spheres” is a form of
sphere
UK /sfɪə/ · US /sfɪɚ/ noun, verb
Forms spheres sphering sphered sphaere sphære sphear spheare
- noun (mathematics) A surface in three dimensions consisting of all points equidistant from a center. .
- noun An object which appears to be bounded by a sphere; a round object, a ball.
- noun (astronomy, now rare) The celestial sphere: the edge of the heavens, imagined as a hollow globe within which celestial bodies appear to be embedded.
- noun (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).
- noun (mythology) An area of activity for a planet; or by extension, an area of influence for a god, hero etc.
- noun (figuratively) The region in which something or someone is active; one's province, domain. “sphere of influence”
- noun The natural, normal, or proper place (of something). “in one's sphere”
- noun (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 .
- verb (transitive) To place in a sphere, or among the spheres; to ensphere.
- verb (transitive) To make round or spherical; to perfect.
Synonyms
2-sphere orb area field orbit sector element caviar domain arena sphere of influence celestial sphere empyrean firmament heavens vault of heaven welkin
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English spere, 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. Not related to superficially similar Persian سپهر (sepehr, “sky”) .
Displaced Old English cliewen, þoþor, and æppel.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A body or space contained under a single surface, which in every part is equally distant from a point within called its center.
- noun Hence, any globe or globular body, especially a celestial one, as the sun, a planet, or the earth.
- verb To place in a sphere, or among the spheres; to insphere.
- verb To form into roundness; to make spherical, or spheral; to perfect.
Etymology [OE. spere, OF. espere, F. sphère, L. sphaera,. Gr. 1. (Geom.) Defn: 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) Defn: 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 o]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “sphere”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details