Spherical

/ˈsfɛɹɪkəl/ · adjective

Meaning

(geometry) Shaped as a sphere; being a sphere..

Definitions by Sense

1. (geometry) Shaped as a sphere; being a sphere.
2. (geometry, not comparable) Of, or pertaining to, spheres.
3. (mathematics) Of a coordinate system, specifying the location of a point in a plane by using a radius and two angles.
4. (astrology) Of or relating to the heavenly orbs, or to the sphere or spheres in which, according to ancient astronomy and astrology, they were set.
5. (statistics, econometrics) Of a multivariate probability distribution, to have a covariance matrix equal to the identity matrix up to a multiplicative factor.

Example Sentences

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.

Knaves, thieves, and treachers by spherical predominance.

a spherical Gaussian distribution

Synonyms for spherical

Antonyms for spherical

Related Words

Word Forms

• more spherical
• most spherical
• sphærical

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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