Part 640

Sphe`neth*moid"al (?), a. (Anat.) Relating to the sphenoethmoid bone; sphenoethmoid.

Sphe*nis"can (?), n. (Zoöl.) Any species of penguin.

Sphe"no- (?). A combining form used in anatomy to indicate connection with, or relation to, the sphenoid bone; as in sphenomaxillary, sphenopalatine.

Sphe"no*don (?), n. [Gr. sfh`n a wedge + &?;&?;&?;, &?;&?;&?;, a tooth.] (Zoöl.) Same as Hatteria.

Sphe"no*eth*moid`al (?), a. (Anat.) Sphenethmoid.

Sphe"no*gram (?), n. [Gr. sfh`n a wedge + -gram.] A cuneiform, or arrow- headed, character.

Sphe*nog"ra*pher, n. One skilled in sphenography; a sphenographist.

Sphe`no*graph"ic (?), a. Of or pertaining to sphenography.

Sphe*nog"ra*phist (?), n. A sphenographer.

Sphe*nog"ra*phy (?), n. [Gr. sfh`n a wedge + -graphy.] The art of writing in cuneiform characters, or of deciphering inscriptions made in such characters.

Sphe"noid (?), a. [Gr. &?;&?;&?;; sfh`n a wedge + e'i^dos form: cf. F. sphénoïde.] 1. Wedge-shaped; as, a sphenoid crystal.

2. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the sphenoid bone.

Sphenoid bone (Anat.), an irregularly shaped bone in front of the occipital in the base of the skull of the higher vertebrates. It is composed of several fetal bones which become united the adult. See Alisphenoid, Basisphenoid, Orbitosphenoid, Presphenoid.

Sphe"noid (?), n. 1. (Crystallog.) A wedge-shaped crystal bounded by four equal isosceles triangles. It is the hemihedral form of a square pyramid.

2. (Anat.) The sphenoid bone.

Sphe*noid"al (?), a. 1. Sphenoid.

2. (Crystalloq.) Pertaining to, or resembling, a sphenoid.

Sphe*not"ic (?), a. [Spheno- + &?;&?;&?;, &?;&?;&?;, the ear.] (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, the sphenotic bone.

Sphenotic bone (Anat.), a bone on the anterior side of the auditory capsule of many fishes, and connected with, or adjoining, the sphenoid bone.

Sphe*not"ic, n. (Anat.) The sphenotic bone.

Spher"al (?), a. 1. Of or pertaining to a sphere or the spheres.

2. Rounded like a sphere; sphere-shaped; hence, symmetrical; complete; perfect.

Sphere (?), n. [OE. spere, OF. espere, F. sphère, L. sphaera,. Gr. &?;&?;&?; a sphere, a ball.] 1. (Geom.) A body or space contained under a single surface, which in every part is equally distant from a point within called its center.

2. Hence, any globe or globular body, especially a celestial one, as the sun, a planet, or the earth.

Of celestial bodies, first the sun, A mighty sphere, he framed.

Milton.

3. (Astron.) (a) The apparent surface of the heavens, which is assumed to be spherical and everywhere equally distant, in which the heavenly bodies appear to have their places, and on which the various astronomical circles, as of right ascension and declination, the equator, ecliptic, etc., are conceived to be drawn; an ideal geometrical sphere, with the astronomical and geographical circles in their proper positions on it. (b) In ancient astronomy, one of the concentric and eccentric revolving spherical transparent shells in which the stars, sun, planets, and moon were supposed to be set, and by which they were carried, in such a manner as to produce their apparent motions.

4. (Logic) The extension of a general conception, or the totality of the individuals or species to which it may be applied.