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• sphere
  sphere

  noun
• -sphere
  -sphere

  a combining form of sphere (planisphere ); having a special use in the names of the layers of gases and the like surrounding the earth and other celestial bodies (ionosphere ).

sphere

¹ American  

[sfeer] / sfɪər /

noun

spheres plural

1. Geometry.

   1. a solid geometric figure generated by the revolution of a semicircle about its diameter; a round body whose surface is at all points equidistant from the center. Equation: x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = r 2 .

   2. the surface of such a figure; a spherical surface.

2. any rounded body approximately of this form; a globular mass, shell, etc.

3. Astronomy.

   1. a planet or star; heavenly body.

   2. celestial sphere.

   3. any of the transparent, concentric, spherical shells, or layers, in which, according to ancient belief, the planets, stars, and other heavenly bodies were set.

4. the place or environment within which a person or thing exists; a field of activity or operation.

   to be out of one's professional sphere.

   Synonyms:

   domain, realm, compass, province, area, orbit

5. a particular social world, stratum of society, or walk of life.

   His social sphere is small.

   Synonyms:

   rank, class

6. a field of something specified.

   a sphere of knowledge.

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verb (used with object)

sphered, sphering

1. to enclose in or as if in a sphere.

2. to form into a sphere.

3. to place among the heavenly spheres.

-sphere ² American  

1. a combining form of sphere (planisphere ); having a special use in the names of the layers of gases and the like surrounding the earth and other celestial bodies (ionosphere ).

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sphere ¹ British  

/ sfɪə /

noun

1. maths

   1. a three-dimensional closed surface such that every point on the surface is equidistant from a given point, the centre

   2. the solid figure bounded by this surface or the space enclosed by it. Equation: ( x–a )² + ( y–b )² + ( z–c )² = r ², where r is the radius and ( a, b, c ) are the coordinates of the centre; surface area: 4π r ²; volume: 4π r ³/3

2. any object having approximately this shape; globe

3. the night sky considered as a vaulted roof; firmament

4. any heavenly object such as a planet, natural satellite, or star

5. (in the Ptolemaic or Copernican systems of astronomy) one of a series of revolving hollow globes, arranged concentrically, on whose transparent surfaces the sun (or in the Copernican system the earth), the moon, the planets, and fixed stars were thought to be set, revolving around the earth (or in the Copernican system the sun)

6. particular field of activity; environment

   that's out of my sphere

7. a social class or stratum of society

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verb

1. to surround or encircle

2. to place aloft or in the heavens

-sphere ² British  

combining form

1. having the shape or form of a sphere

   bathysphere

2. indicating a spherelike enveloping mass

   atmosphere

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sphere Scientific  

/ sfîr /

1. A three-dimensional geometric surface having all of its points the same distance from a given point.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subsphere
  noun
• sphereless
  adjective
• spherelike
  adjective
• unsphering
  adjective
• -spheric
  combining form

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• spheres
  plural

Etymology

Origin of sphere

1250–1300; < Late Latin sphēra, Latin sphaera globe < Greek sphaîra ball; replacing Middle English spere < Old French spere < Late Latin spēra, variant of sphēra

Explanation

Marbles, oranges, bubbles, and beach balls — all of these objects illustrate the shape of a sphere, or globe (unless the beach balls are under-inflated, in which case they’re sort-of a “squished-sphere” shape). Sphere is often used metaphorically to refer to a particular aspect or area of something. For example, unless you’re a trained circus performer, tightrope walking and fire swallowing probably lie outside of your sphere of expertise. Sphere frequently occurs in the phrase “sphere of influence,” which designates the geographical area over which a person, organization, or nation has control. In many households, whoever is in charge of the cooking controls the kitchen; so, the kitchen falls within his or her sphere of influence.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sphere spheres sphered sphering

Moscow had resisted that arrangement for more than a decade, wary of China’s expanding footprint in territory it has long considered its sphere of influence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

A Dyson sphere would dramatically alter where a star appears on that chart.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026

"The Port of Rotterdam is a key player in this sustainable transition but their sphere of influence is limited," says Bettina Kampman, from environmental consultancy CE Delft, which works for governments, companies and NGOs.

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026

To Siebel Newsom, the critiques of her work and the federal probe are part of a broader hounding of women who enter the public sphere.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

He spent hours fixing the Archimedes sphere, cleaning it and repairing its circuits.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

There has been some speculation online that the spheres are propellant tanks for spacecraft, and so could contain residual amounts of a highly flammable or reactive substance.

From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026

His goal, ultimately, is to bring together disparate groups of people from different spheres in a space everyone will feel comfortable in.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

Cavendish suspended two lead spheres from a wire and positioned larger masses nearby.

From Science Daily ● May 18, 2026

The German defence industry has locked onto that trend, as illustrated by the rise of arms maker Rheinmetall in recent years, with the group recently pushing into the naval and dronemaking spheres.

From Barron's ● May 16, 2026

Cesariano provides perfectly conventional illustrations of the Aristotelian universe as a series of bounded spheres.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

They would be sphered in joy, until they heard a sniff and saw the other child standing at the open door, resting its flabby cheek on the handle, surveying them with wild eyes.

From The Judge by West, Rebecca

The Sisterhood that was so sweet,     The Starry System sphered complete,     Which the mazed Orient used to greet,   The Four-and-Thirty fallen Stars glimmer and glitter at her feet.

From The World's Best Poetry, Volume 8 National Spirit by Carman, Bliss

Coolest quiet sphered the whole figure; not a suggestion of anything but slowest calm grace disturbed its repose.

From The Continental Monthly, Vol 6, No 5, November 1864 Devoted To Literature And National Policy by Various

That so august a spirit, sphered so fair, Should from the starry sessions of his peers, Decline to quench so bright a brilliancy In hell’s sick spume.

From St. Winifred's, or The World of School by Earnshaw, H. C. (Harold C.)

His thoughts are sphered and crystalline; his style “prouder than when blue Iris bends;” his spirit fiery, impatient, wayward, indefatigable.

From Hazlitt on English Literature An Introduction to the Appreciation of Literature by Zeitlin, Jacob

I stick my head into the workshop and say hello to Ben Morling, founder and MD of both branches, who got into the Segway business after some success with a sphering, or zorbing, company.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 31, 2015

Greater than the sphering sea,  For it holds the sea and land; Seed of all ideas to be  Down its current borne like sand.

From An Anthology of Australian Verse by Stevens, Bertram

Related Words

• circle
• field
• realm
• scope