hemisphere

American  

[hem-i-sfeer] / ˈhɛm ɪˌsfɪər /

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.

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.

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hemisphere British  

/ 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. anatomy short for cerebral hemisphere

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hemisphere Scientific  

/ 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

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hemisphere Cultural  

1. Any half of the Earth's surface.

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Other Word Forms

• hemispheric adjective

Etymology

Origin of hemisphere

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

Example Sentences

There is snow in parts of Australia, but since the country is in the southern hemisphere, the winters there are short and they come during what is summer in the northern climes.

From Los Angeles Times

It offers new insight into China’s strategy and its expanding reach into the Western hemisphere.

From The Wall Street Journal

Their analysis showed that pterosaurs had moderately enlarged brain hemispheres, a feature comparable to other dinosaur groups.

From Science Daily

The strategy usefully highlights the importance of removing malign interests from the hemisphere—albeit without mentioning Russia or China or Cuba as those influences.

From The Wall Street Journal

The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere in the UK when Earth's axis is tilted at its furthest point from the Sun.

From BBC

Related Words

• fraction