spheroid

/'sfiərɔid/

Thân thiện

The geologist held the polished spheroid in her hand.

Definition

1. 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."

Học thuật

Noun

1. a shape that is generated by rotating an ellipse around one of its axes
   • it looked like a sphere but on closer examination I saw it was really a spheroid

Từ đồng nghĩa

• ellipsoid of revolution