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hemisphere

3 synonyms and 0 antonyms for hemisphere, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — One half of the Earth, typically divided north/south by the equator or east/west by a chosen meridian.

Synonyms

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

half globe terrestrial hemisphere half sphere

How to use hemisphere

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

Northern Hemisphere Southern Hemisphere left hemisphere of the brain Western Hemisphere

Etymology

From Greek hemisphairion, combining hemi- ("half") and sphaira ("sphere").

Full origin of hemisphere →

Frequently asked questions

What does “hemisphere” mean?

The word “hemisphere” means one half of the Earth, typically divided north/south by the equator or east/west by a chosen meridian. In plain terms, half of a sphere — used for halves of the Earth, the brain, or any round shape.

How do you pronounce “hemisphere”?

“Hemisphere” is pronounced HEH-mihs-feer (/ˈhɛmɪsfɪɹ/ in IPA).

How do you use “hemisphere” in a sentence?

Here is “hemisphere” used in a sentence: “Australia sits entirely in the Southern Hemisphere.”

What is another word for “hemisphere”?

Words with a similar meaning to “hemisphere” include terrestrial hemisphere and half sphere.

What part of speech is “hemisphere”?

“Hemisphere” is a noun.

Where does the word “hemisphere” come from?

The word “hemisphere” comes from Greek. From Greek hemisphairion, combining hemi- ("half") and sphaira ("sphere").

Is “hemisphere” a common word?

“Hemisphere” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “hemisphere” have?

“Hemisphere” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: one half of the Earth, typically divided north/south by the equator or east/west by a chosen meridian.

What is the difference between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres?

The Northern Hemisphere is the half of the Earth north of the equator, while the Southern Hemisphere is the half south of it. The two hemispheres experience opposite seasons at the same time of year because of the tilt of the Earth's axis.

What is the difference between the left and right hemisphere of the brain?

The left and right hemispheres are the two halves of the brain, connected by a bundle of nerve fibers. They are popularly associated with different functions, though brain research shows most complex tasks involve both hemispheres working together rather than one side alone.

How is a hemisphere different from a sphere?

A sphere is a complete round three-dimensional shape, while a hemisphere is exactly half of a sphere, created by cutting it with a plane through its center. The word applies both to geometric shapes and to real-world divisions like the Earth or the brain.

Nearby words

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Synonyms and antonyms from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.