Spherical
/ˈsfɛr.ɪ.kəl/noun
Shaped like a sphere; round in three dimensions.
Did you know?Its deepest root is tied to Greek *sphaira* (“ball, globe”), a word that helped turn a simple round object into a symbol of heavenly completeness in later philosophy.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*(s)per-
“to turn, twist, or move in a rounded way”
Ancient Greek
Greek
σφαῖρα (sphaira)
“ball, globe, sphere”
Late Latin
Latin
sphaericus
“of a sphere; spherical”
Old French
Old French
spherique / sphérique
“spherical, ball-shaped”
Late Middle English
English
spherical
“having the form of a sphere”
Explore more surprising origins