Sphere
/sfɪər/noun
A perfectly round three-dimensional object or shape.
Did you know?English *sphere* ultimately comes from Greek *sphaira*, the word for a ball or globe, and that same root helped shape the language of astronomy and geometry in the classical world.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sphēi-
“To spin, turn, or revolve”
Ancient Greek
Greek
σφαῖρα (sphaira)
“A ball, globe, or something rounded”
Latin
Latin
sphaera
“A globe or celestial sphere”
Old French
Old French
sphere
“A globe or ball”
Middle English
English
spere
“A globe or celestial orb”
Modern English
English
sphere
“A perfectly round three-dimensional object or shape”
Explore more surprising origins