Standard Lemma guide

spheroid

adj · noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: S F IH1 R OY2 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of a shape similar to a squashed sphere.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A solid of revolution generated by rotating an ellipse about its major (prolate), or minor (oblate) axis.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • UFOs are reported as being either oblate (saucer-shaped) or prolate (cigar-shaped) spheroids.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a shape that is generated by rotating an ellipse around one of its axes

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • it looked like a sphere but on closer examination I saw it was really a spheroid

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ellipsoid of revolution

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: round shape

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Ancient Greek σφαῖρᾰ (sphaîră)bor. Latin sphaera Late Latin sphērader. Old French spherebor. Middle English spere English sphere Ancient Greek -ο- (-o-)der. Latin -o- Proto-Indo-European *weyd- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *wéydos Proto-Hellenic *wéidos Ancient Greek εἶδος (eîdos) Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-ēs Ancient Greek -ης (-ēs) Ancient Greek -ειδής (-eidḗs) Latin -oīdēslbor. English -oid English spheroid From sphere + -oid.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: сфероид (sferoid) — shape similar to a sphere
  • Catalan: esferoide — shape similar to a sphere
  • Dutch: sferoïde — shape similar to a sphere
  • French: sphéroïde — shape similar to a sphere
  • Greek: σφαίρωμα (sfaíroma) — shape similar to a sphere
  • Macedonian: сфероид (sferoid) — shape similar to a sphere
  • Romanian: sferoid — shape similar to a sphere
  • Russian: сферо́ид (sferóid) — shape similar to a sphere
  • Ukrainian: сферо́їд (sferójid) — shape similar to a sphere