hemisphere

[ hem-i-sfeer ]

noun

1. (often initial capital letter) half of the terrestrial globe or celestial sphere, especially one of the halves into which the earth is divided. Compare Eastern Hemisphere, Western Hemisphere, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere.
2. a map or projection representing one of these halves.
3. a half of a sphere.
4. Anatomy. either of the lateral halves of the cerebrum or cerebellum.
5. the area within which something occurs or dominates; sphere; realm.

hemisphere

/ ˌhɛmɪˈsfɛrɪk; ˈhɛmɪˌsfɪə /

noun

1. one half of a sphere
2. 1. half of the terrestrial globe, divided into northern and southern hemispheres by the equator or into eastern and western hemispheres by some meridians, usually 0° and 180°
   2. a map or projection of one of the hemispheres
3. either of the two halves of the celestial sphere that lie north or south of the celestial equator
4. See cerebral hemisphere
   anatomy short for cerebral hemisphere

hemisphere

/ hĕm′ĭ-sfîr′ /

1. One half of a sphere, formed by a plane that passes through the center of the sphere.
2. Either the northern or southern half of the Earth as divided by the equator, or the eastern or western half as divided by a meridian, especially the prime meridian.
3. One half of the celestial sphere as divided by any of various great circles, especially the celestial equator and the ecliptic.
4. See more at celestial sphere
5. See cerebral hemisphere

hemisphere

1. Any half of the Earth 's surface.

Derived Forms

• hemispheric, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hemisphere¹

1325–75; < Latin hēmisphaerium < Greek hēmisphaírion; replacing Middle English emysperie < Old French emispere < Latin

Example Sentences

Garvey invited dozens of countries to join him in Jamaica, where he resided at the time, to “mark the progress the race has made” on the hemisphere.

From Washington Post

Official reports showed historically low levels of flu-like illness among children and adults beginning in May, usually the start of flu season in that hemisphere.

From Washington Post

Ski and snowboard teams typically send 100 or so people to the southern hemisphere — Chile, Argentina, New Zealand — to take advantage of fresh snow.

From Washington Post

After the spy ring was crushed, Argentina, Bolivia and Chile definitively broke with Axis powers and sided with Allied powers, eliminating the threat that the western hemisphere would fall.

From Time

In the southern hemisphere, they’ll glow in the western sky.

From Fortune

The optimism across the hemisphere was obvious, but many challenges remain.

From The Daily Beast

But the men from the Southern Hemisphere have the strength to shrug off that loss.

From The Daily Beast

Polio, for example, has been eradicated in the Western hemisphere thanks to a vigorous international immunization program.

From The Daily Beast

Chikungunya is on the radar now is because it has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere— the Caribbean to be precise.

From The Daily Beast

He was convinced that ocean moats would never keep the Axis powers out of the Western Hemisphere.

From The Daily Beast

This is one of the natural wonders of the southern hemisphere and is much visited by tourists traveling through New Zealand.

From Project Gutenberg

Pass under the pole and into another hemisphere; ascend to the stars,145 if possible.

From Project Gutenberg

Hardly a star was visible; even those of the southern hemisphere pale beside the southern moon.

From Project Gutenberg

His empire thus consolidated, he would be virtual master of half the solid earth in the Eastern hemisphere.

From Project Gutenberg

Her mission is confined to the Western Hemisphere, and over its borders no insult, no cajolery will avail to tempt her.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• fraction