hydrosphere

[ hahy-druh-sfeer ]

noun

1. the water on or surrounding the surface of the globe, including the water of the oceans and the water in the atmosphere.

hydrosphere

/ ˈhaɪdrəˌsfɪə /

noun

1. the watery part of the earth's surface, including oceans, lakes, water vapour in the atmosphere, etc

hydrosphere

/ hī′drə-sfîr′ /

1. All of the Earth's water, including surface water (water in oceans, lakes, and rivers), groundwater (water in soil and beneath the Earth's surface), snowcover, ice, and water in the atmosphere, including water vapor.
2. Compare asthenosphere

Derived Forms

• ˌhydroˈspheric, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hydrosphere¹

First recorded in 1885–90; hydro- ¹ + -sphere

Example Sentences

We all exist in the hydrosphere, all downstream from one another.

From The Daily Beast

As the heat of the interior increased, these gases transpired to the surface and formed the primitive atmosphere and hydrosphere.

From Project Gutenberg

The question of the origin of the Atlantic basin, like that of the other great divisions of the hydrosphere, is still unsettled.

From Project Gutenberg