spherical
Americanadjective
-
shaped like a sphere
-
of or relating to a sphere
spherical geometry
-
geometry formed on the surface of or inside a sphere
a spherical triangle
-
-
of or relating to heavenly bodies
-
of or relating to the spheres of the Ptolemaic or the Copernican system
-
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of spherical
1515–25; < Late Latin sphēric ( us ) ( see spherics 1) + -al 1
Explanation
A ball is spherical; it's shaped like a sphere — a three-dimensional version of the two-dimensional circle. The ball image is a good one since the word sphere comes from very similar-sounding Greek and Latin words, both of which mean "ball." The word sphere, however, has much broader usage: we use it in to discussing astronomy, our earth, even our social rank (as in "one's sphere of influence"). Spherical, by contrast, has a much more limited use. It basically is a description of shape: if it's spherical, it simply looks like a ball.
Vocabulary lists containing spherical
50 Great Words from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
2015 Spelling Bee - Words from Round 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Unit 2: Evolution
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Oxygen nuclei also have a relatively symmetrical, spherical shape, which makes the geometry of their collisions easier to analyze.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 31, 2026
But the effort to ensure that they once again rise, fall and spin around a spherical base has begun.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
Globular clusters are tightly packed, spherical collections of stars bound together by gravity.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 5, 2026
Video of another orb says it shows a spherical UAP zooming over the Yellow Sea in 2022.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
According to the artifact’s item description, it could create a spherical shield around itself, with a circumference of up to half a kilometer.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
