spherical
/ˈsfɛrɪk(ə)l
/adjective
1Shaped like a sphere: spherical pearls...
- A tiny somewhat spherical shaped object appeared off in the distance, moving quickly and effortlessly to the side of the craft.
- I get dressed in my armor, and then I touch the spherical shaped switch that will bring the lift up to my room.
- The elliptical shape can curve, but a round spherical shape can not.
Synonyms
round, globular, ball-shaped, globe-shaped, orb-shaped, orb-like, bulbous, bulb-shaped, balloon-like;
convex, curved, curvilinear, rounded, rotund
technical cycloidal, discoid, discoidal, spheroid, spheroidal, spheric
rare globate, globose, globoid, orbicular, orbiculate
1.1Relating to the properties of spheres.The design of contact lenses can be divided into spherical, toric and multifocal....
- The small incision induces minimal postoperative astigmatism (change in the spherical curvature of the cornea).
- Typically, a neutron star will have the mass of one and a half suns compressed into a spherical volume just 10-15 km in diameter.
1.2Formed inside or on the surface of a sphere.For example, he held that fire rises in order to reach its natural place, a spherical shell just inside the orbit of the moon....
- Axonometric distortion creates the illusion that these rows occur upon spherical surfaces: they appear to overlay a field of bulging convexities and receding concavities.
- They then wrote software to design circuits on spherical surfaces without distorting the physics of electrons that whiz through wires thinner than a human hair.
Derivatives
spherically
- Within a few minutes of calcium overload, the mitochondria, which started as elongated organelles, rounded up into spherically shaped particles.
- David knew that each of the five spherically shaped machines contain just one zligit crystal, each crystal capable of focusing up to twelve megawatts of quantum energy.
- If it has been expanding spherically at the speed of light since the big bang, then I can't see how it can be bigger than 20 billion to 30 billion light years across.
Origin
Late 15th century: via late Latin from Greek sphairikos, from sphaira (see sphere).