hemisphere

American  

[hem-i-sfeer] / ˈhɛm ɪˌsfɪər /

noun

1. (often initial capital letter) half of the terrestrial globe or celestial sphere, especially one of the halves into which the earth is divided.

2. a map or projection representing one of these halves.

3. a half of a sphere.

4. Anatomy. either of the lateral halves of the cerebrum or cerebellum.

5. the area within which something occurs or dominates; sphere; realm.

---

hemisphere British  

/ ˌhɛmɪˈsfɛrɪk, ˈhɛmɪˌsfɪə /

noun

1. one half of a sphere

2. 1. half of the terrestrial globe, divided into northern and southern hemispheres by the equator or into eastern and western hemispheres by some meridians, usually 0° and 180°

   2. a map or projection of one of the hemispheres

3. either of the two halves of the celestial sphere that lie north or south of the celestial equator

4. anatomy short for cerebral hemisphere

---

hemisphere Scientific  

/ hĕm′ĭ-sfîr′ /

1. One half of a sphere, formed by a plane that passes through the center of the sphere.

2. Either the northern or southern half of the Earth as divided by the equator, or the eastern or western half as divided by a meridian, especially the prime meridian.

3. One half of the celestial sphere as divided by any of various great circles, especially the celestial equator and the ecliptic.

4. See more at celestial sphere

5. See cerebral hemisphere

---

hemisphere Cultural  

1. Any half of the Earth's surface.

---

Other Word Forms

• hemispheric adjective

Etymology

Origin of hemisphere

1325–75; < Latin hēmisphaerium < Greek hēmisphaírion; replacing Middle English emysperie < Old French emispere < Latin

Example Sentences

By applying deep learning models trained on tens of thousands of MRI scans, the team estimated the "brain age" of different regions in each hemisphere and examined how stroke affects both structure and recovery.

From Science Daily

Following the spring equinox most of the northern hemisphere is now enjoying more than 12 hours of daylight each day.

From BBC

Now we are past the spring equinox, the northern hemisphere starts to get more daylight and a strengthening Sun.

From BBC

With winter in the northern hemisphere officially ending on Friday -- the first day of astronomical spring -- the soaring temperatures were wreaking havoc on wildlife in the West.

From Barron's

With the northern hemisphere only exiting official winter on Friday -- the first day of astronomical spring -- the soaring temperatures were wreaking havoc on wildlife in the West.

From Barron's

Related Words

• fraction