French word

sphère

Pronunciation

IPA/sfɛʁ/

Meaning

  • feminine nounsphere

Example

Il a acheté une sphère en bois.

He bought a wooden sphere.

Illustration for sphère (sphere)

More examples

La sphère de verre reflète la lumière.

The glass sphere reflects light.

Core concept

A round solid organized around one center, extending metaphorically to a bounded field of activity or influence.

Common phrases

  • une sphère de verre

    a glass sphere

  • une sphère décorative

    a decorative sphere

Similar words

domaine: A range covering a particular activity or subject.
milieu: A particular social environment and the people connected within it.
champ: An area of academic or professional activity.
secteur: A division of economic or regional activity.

Definition in French

Forme géométrique en trois dimensions constituée de tous les points à égale distance d'un même centre; par extension, espace ou domaine d'activité, d'influence ou de connaissance.

Word origin

French sphère comes through Latin sphaera from Ancient Greek sphaira, first naming a ball or globe before developing its metaphorical sense of a domain.

Usage tips

  • Sphère is feminine, so the article is la, as in la sphère politique or la sphère privée.

Other meanings

  • domainnoun

Related words

  • sphériquesphericaladjective

Word lists with this word