Sphere Meaning
/sfɪə/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA surface in three dimensions consisting of all points equidistant from a center. .
nounAn object which appears to be bounded by a sphere; a round object, a ball.
Sentence Examples
Our sphere of influence has expanded so much since then.
Every star is a sphere.
The Earth is not a perfect sphere.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The Earth is a nearly perfect ____ that always rotates on its axis.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The planet Earth is roughly the shape of a ____, though it is slightly flattened at the poles.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Ancient Greek σφαῖρᾰ (sphaîră)bor. Latin sphaera Late Latin sphērader. Old French spherebor. Middle English spere English sphere 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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Of celestial bodies, first the sun, / A mighty sphere, he framed."
— 1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
"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."
— 2011 July 6, Piers Sellers, The Guardian:
"Though cold and darkness longer hang somewhere, / Yet Phoebus equally lights all the Sphere."
— 1635, John Donne, His parting form her:
"Resistless rolls the illimitable sphere, / And one great circle forms the unmeasured year."
— 1791, Erasmus Darwin, The Economy of Vegetation, J. Johnson, page 190:
"ſooner ſhall the Sun fall from his Spheare,
Than Tamburlaine be ſlaine or ouercome."
— c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
The Earth is a nearly perfect ____ that always rotates on its axis.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The planet Earth is roughly the shape of a ____, though it is slightly flattened at the poles.