{ Spher"ic*al (?), Spher"ic (?), }
a. [L. sphaericus, Gr. ???: cf. F.
sphérique.] 1.Having the form of a
sphere; like a sphere; globular; orbicular; as, a spherical
body.
2.Of or pertaining to a sphere.
3.Of or pertaining to the heavenly orbs, or
to the sphere or spheres in which, according to ancient astronomy and
astrology, they were set.
Knaves, thieves, and treachers by spherical
predominance.
Shak.
Though the stars were suns, and overburned
Their spheric limitations.
Mrs.
Browning.
Spherical angle, Spherical
coördinate, Spherical excess,
etc. See under Angle, Coordinate, etc. --
Spherical geometry, that branch of geometry
which treats of spherical magnitudes; the doctrine of the sphere,
especially of the circles described on its surface. --
Spherical harmonic analysis. See under
Harmonic, a. -- Spherical
lune,portion of the surface of a sphere included between
two great semicircles having a common diameter. --
Spherical opening, the magnitude of a solid
angle. It is measured by the portion within the solid angle of the
surface of any sphere whose center is the angular point. --
Spherical polygon,portion of the surface of a
sphere bounded by the arcs of three or more great circles. --
Spherical projection, the projection of the
circles of the sphere upon a plane. See Projection. --
Spherical sector. See under Sector.
-- Spherical segment, the segment of a sphere.
See under Segment. -- Spherical
triangle,re on the surface of a sphere, bounded by the
arcs of three great circles which intersect each other. --
Spherical trigonometry. See
Trigonometry.