spherical
adj/ˈsfɛɹɪkəl/ · /ˈsfiːɹɪkəl/
Etymology English spheric [from Latin sphaericus, from Ancient Greek σφαιρικός (sphairikós)] + -al.
1
Geometry, Mathematics, Sciences Shaped as a sphere; being a sphere.
- The ability of a segment of a glass sphere to magnify whatever is placed before it was known around the year 1000, when the spherical segment was called a reading stone, essentially what today we might term a frameless magnifying glass or plain glass paperweight.2013 September-October, Henry Petroski, “The Evolution of Eyeglasses”, in American Scientist:
2
Geometry, Mathematics, Sciences Of, or pertaining to, spheres.
3
Mathematics, Sciences Of a coordinate system, specifying the location of a point in a plane by using a radius and two angles.
4
Astrology, Human sciences, Mysticism, Philosophy, Sciences Of or relating to the heavenly orbs, or to the sphere or spheres in which, according to ancient astronomy and astrology, they were set.
- Knaves, thieves, and treachers by spherical predominance.c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
5
Mathematics, Sciences, Statistics Of a multivariate probability distribution, to have a covariance matrix equal to the identity matrix up to a multiplicative factor.
- a spherical Gaussian distribution
- Derived terms
51 terms
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