spherical

• POS: Adjective
• HYPHEN: spher=i=cal

CIDE DICTIONARY

spherical, a. [L. sphaericus, Gr. : cf. F. sphérique.].

•  Having the form of a sphere; like a sphere; globular; orbicular; as, a spherical body.  [1913 Webster]
•  Of or pertaining to a sphere.  [1913 Webster]
•  Of or pertaining to the heavenly orbs, or to the sphere or spheres in which, according to ancient astronomy and astrology, they were set.  [1913 Webster]

  "Knaves, thieves, and treachers by spherical predominance."  [1913 Webster]

  "Though the stars were suns, and overburned
  Their spheric limitations."  [1913 Webster]

Spherical angle, Spherical coördinate, Spherical excess, etc. See under Angle, Coordinate, etc. -- Spherical geometry, that branch of geometry which treats of spherical magnitudes; the doctrine of the sphere, especially of the circles described on its surface. -- Spherical harmonic analysis. See under Harmonic, a. -- Spherical lune,portion of the surface of a sphere included between two great semicircles having a common diameter. -- Spherical opening, the magnitude of a solid angle. It is measured by the portion within the solid angle of the surface of any sphere whose center is the angular point. -- Spherical polygon,portion of the surface of a sphere bounded by the arcs of three or more great circles. -- Spherical projection, the projection of the circles of the sphere upon a plane. See Projection. -- Spherical sector. See under Sector. -- Spherical segment, the segment of a sphere. See under Segment. -- Spherical triangle,re on the surface of a sphere, bounded by the arcs of three great circles which intersect each other. -- Spherical trigonometry. See Trigonometry.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

spherical, adj.
1 shaped like a sphere; globular.
2 a of or relating to the properties of spheres (spherical geometry). b formed inside or on the surface of a sphere (spherical triangle).

Idiom

spherical aberration a loss of definition in the image produced by a spherically curved mirror or lens. spherical angle an angle formed by the intersection of two great circles of a sphere.

Derivative

spherically adv.

Etymology

LL sphaericus f. Gk sphairikos (as SPHERE)

THESAURUS

spherical

3-D, bulblike, bulbous, cubic, dimensional, ellipsoid, flat, fourth-dimensional, global, globate, globe-shaped, globed, globelike, globoid, globose, globular, hemispheric, obovoid, orb, orbed, orbic, orbicular, orbiculate, orblike, orby, ovoid, proportional, round, space, space-time, spatial, spatiotemporal, sphere-shaped, spherelike, spheric, spheriform, spheroid, spheroidal, stereoscopic, superficial, surface, three-dimensional, two-dimensional, volumetric

ROGET THESAURUS

spherical

Circularity

N circularity, roundness, rotundity, circle, circlet, ring, areola, hoop, roundlet, annulus, annulet, bracelet, armlet, ringlet, eye, loop, wheel, cycle, orb, orbit, rundle, zone, belt, cordon, band, contrate wheel, crown wheel, hub, nave, sash, girdle, cestus, cincture, baldric, fillet, fascia, wreath, garland, crown, corona, coronet, chaplet, snood, necklace, collar, noose, lasso, lassoo, ellipse, oval, ovule, ellipsoid, cycloid, epicycloid, epicycle, semicircle, quadrant, sextant, sector, sphere, round, rounded, circular, annular, orbicular, oval, ovate, elliptic, elliptical, egg-shaped, pear-shaped, cycloidal, spherical, I watched the little circles die.

Rotundity

N rotundity, roundness, cylindricity, sphericity, spheroidity, globosity, cylinder, cylindroid, cylindrical, barrel, drum, roll, roller, rouleau, column, rolling-pin, rundle, cone, conoid, pear shape, egg shape, bell shape, sphere, globe, ball, boulder, bowlder, spheroid, ellipsoid, oblong spheroid, oblate spheroid, prolate spheroid, drop, spherule, globule, vesicle, bulb, bullet, pellet, pelote, clew, pill, marble, pea, knob, pommel, horn, knot (convolution), curved surface, hypersphere, hyperdimensional surface, rotund, round, cylindric, cylindrical, cylindroid, columnar, lumbriciform, conic, conical, spherical, spheroidal, globular, globated, globous, globose, egg shaped, bell shaped, pear shaped, ovoid, oviform, gibbous, rixiform, campaniform, campanulate, campaniliform, fungiform, bead-like, moniliform, pyriform, bulbous, tres atque rotundus, round as an orange, round as an apple, round as a ball, round as a billiard ball, round as a cannon ball.