spheroid
/'sfiərɔid/
Definition
- Noun:
- A three-dimensional shape that is approximately spherical but not perfectly round: A spheroid is a shape generated by rotating an ellipse around one of its axes. It resembles a sphere but is slightly elongated or flattened.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The planet Jupiter is not a perfect sphere; it is an oblate spheroid due to its rapid rotation.
- The model of the Earth we used in geography class was a spheroid, accurately representing its slight flattening at the poles.
Advanced Usage
- Mathematical/Technical Context: In geometry and earth sciences, "spheroid" precisely describes a quadric surface obtained by rotating an ellipse. An oblate spheroid (like Earth) is flattened at the poles, while a prolate spheroid is elongated at the poles.
- Geodesists use an oblate spheroid to model the Earth's shape for accurate mapping.
Variants and Related Words
- Spheroidal (adj): Having the shape of a spheroid.
- The spheroidal form of the object made it roll in an unusual pattern.
Synonyms
- Ellipsoid: A more general term for a three-dimensional figure whose plane sections are ellipses or circles. All spheroids are ellipsoids with two equal axes.
- Ovoid: Egg-shaped; generally implies one end is larger than the other, which is less mathematically precise than "spheroid."
Noun
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a shape that is generated by rotating an ellipse around one of its axes
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it looked like a sphere but on closer examination I saw it was really a spheroid
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