spherule

[ sfer-ool, -yool, sfeer- ]

noun

1. a small sphere or spherical body.

spherule

/ ˈsfɛruːl /

noun

1. a very small sphere or globule

Derived Forms

• ˈspherular, adjective

Other Words From

• spher·u·lar [sfer, -y, oo, -ler, sfeer, -], adjective
• spher·u·late [sfer, -y, oo, -leyt, -lit, sfeer, -], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of spherule¹

From the Late Latin word sphaerula, dating back to 1655–65. See sphere, -ule

Word History and Origins

Origin of spherule¹

C17: from Late Latin sphaerula a little sphere

Example Sentences

They were looking for spherule particles, or tiny fragments of rock, left behind by impact.

From BBC

Within two hours of my arrival, we had recovered one such spherule, a few hundred microns in size, from a sample collected along the strip that I had calculated to be the most likely airburst location for IM1.

From Scientific American

He worries that only two spherule beds match the crystal data, and one of those beds is not located within Australia—meaning that the timing might not match after all.

From Scientific American

Evidence for the theory can be found not just within the crystals but also in areas called spherule beds.

From Scientific American

Rasmussen, B., Blake, T. S. & Fletcher, I. R. U–Pb zircon age constraints on the Hamersley spherule beds: evidence for a single 2.63 Ga Jeerinah-Carawine impact ejecta layer.

From Nature

Related Words

• dot
• pellet
• stone