Etymology From Middle English spere, from Old French sphere, from Late Latin sphēra, earlier Latin sphaera (“ball, globe, celestial sphere”), from Ancient Greek σφαῖρα (sphaîra, “ball, globe”), of unknown origin. Not related to superficially similar Persian سپهر (sepehr, “sky”) . Displaced Old English cliewen, þoþor, and æppel.
Mathematics, Sciences A surface in three dimensions consisting of all points equidistant from a center. .
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An object which appears to be bounded by a sphere; a round object, a ball.
Of celestial bodies, first the sun, / A mighty sphere, he framed.1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
So your orientation changes a little bit but it sinks in that the world is a sphere, and you're going around it, sometimes under it, sideways, or over it.2011 July 6, Piers Sellers, The Guardian:
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Astronomy, Natural sciencesArchaic The celestial sphere: the edge of the heavens, imagined as a hollow globe within which celestial bodies appear to be embedded.
Though cold and darkness longer hang somewhere, / Yet Phoebus equally lights all the Sphere.1635, John Donne, His parting form her:
Resistless rolls the illimitable sphere, / And one great circle forms the unmeasured year.1791, Erasmus Darwin, The Economy of Vegetation, J. Johnson, page 190:
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Astronomy, Human sciences, Mysticism, Mythology, Natural sciences, Philosophy, SciencesHistorical Any of the concentric hollow transparent globes formerly believed to rotate around the Earth, and which carried the heavenly bodies; there were originally believed to be eight, and later nine and ten; friction between them was thought to cause a harmonious sound (the music of the spheres).
ſooner ſhall the Sun fall from his Spheare, Than Tamburlaine be ſlaine or ouercome.c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
It is more simplicitie to teach our children[…][t]he knowledge of the starres, and the motion of the eighth spheare, before their owne.1603, Michel de Montaigne, translated by John Florio, The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC, page 153:
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They understood not the motion of the eighth sphear from West to East, and so conceived the longitude of the Stars invariable.1646, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, I.6:
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Human sciences, Mysticism, Mythology, Philosophy, Sciences An area of activity for a planet; or by extension, an area of influence for a god, hero etc.
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Figuratively The region in which something or someone is active; one's province, domain.
sphere of influence
...while his sweet and gentle niece would be a charming companion for Francesca; and he thought, with a glow of affection long unfelt, that Lucy Aylmer must inevitably make a friend whose future kindness might add much to her happiness. Both were at present placed out of their sphere: but the one would in all probability have it greatly in her power to cherish and aid the other.1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XVIII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 203:
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They thought – originally on grounds derived from religion – that each thing or person had its or his proper sphere, to overstep which is ‘unjust’.1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.20:
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The natural, normal, or proper place (of something).
in one's sphere
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Geometry, Mathematics, Sciences The set of all points in three-dimensional Euclidean space (or n-dimensional space, in topology) that are a fixed distance from a fixed point .
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Human sciences, Logic, Mathematics, Philosophy, SciencesDated The domain of reference of a proposition, subject, or predicate, or the totality of the particular subjects to which it applies.
In point of fact, so often as we think a subject as partially included within the sphere of a predicate, eo ipso we think it as partially, that is, particularly, excluded therefrom.a. 1856, William Hamilton, “Appendix III: Quantification of Predicate,—Immediate Inference,—Conversion,—Opposition”, in Lectures on Metaphysics and Logic, volume 2, published 1860, page 526:
All categorical propositions necessarily imply the existence of their subjects in the appropriate sphere; in affirmative propositions this involves the existence of the predicate in the same sphere; but in negative propositions the predicate does not necessarily exist in that particular sphere, though it does in some sphere.1896, James Welton, A Manual of Logic, 2nd edition, volume 1, page 213:
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Finally, the disjunctive judgment contains a relation of two or more propositions to each other—a relation not of consequence, but of logical opposition, in so far as the sphere of the one proposition excludes that of the other.1900 [1781], Immanuel Kant, translated by J. M. D. Meiklejohn, Critique of Pure Reason, page 58:
Etymology From Middle English spere, from Old French sphere, from Late Latin sphēra, earlier Latin sphaera (“ball, globe, celestial sphere”), from Ancient Greek σφαῖρα (sphaîra, “ball, globe”), of unknown origin. Not related to superficially similar Persian سپهر (sepehr, “sky”) . Displaced Old English cliewen, þoþor, and æppel.
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To place in a sphere, or among the spheres; to ensphere.
The glorious planet Sol / In noble eminence enthroned and sphered / Amidst the other.c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
Sphere all your lights around, above; Sleep, gentle heavens, before the prow; Sleep, gentle winds, as he sleeps now, My friend, the brother of my love.1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto IX”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:
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To make round or spherical; to perfect.
sphered Whole1847, Alfred Tennyson, “(please specify the page number, or |part=Prologue, I to VII, or conclusion)”, in The Princess: A Medley, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:
Related terms
ball, Mathworld article on the sphere, PlanetMath article on the sphere