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spheroid Definition

sphe·roid (sfir′o̵id)

noun

a body that is almost but not quite a sphere, esp. one generated by the rotation of an ellipse about one of its axes

Etymology: L sphaeroides < Gr sphairoeidēs: see sphere & -oid

adjective

of this shape

spheroid Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • foretell: Mystic 8 Ball Ask a question of this foretelling spheroid and it will dispense its infinite wisdom in reply.
  • flatten: Dynamo models of our Galaxy as a flattened spheroid have been investigated, using asymptotic analytic methods and high resolution numerical techniques.

Adjective modifier

  • oblate: The shape of the planet is a markedly oblate spheroid with a polar diameter some 10 % smaller than that at the equator.
  • human: A human breast tumor spheroid immunostained for the hypoxic cell marker, HIF-1 alpha ( red staining ).
  • prolate: An egg is more or less a prolate spheroid, and the difference between it and a sphere is quite obvious visually.

Modifies a noun

  • component: They may be early generations in the disk, or a spheroid component, or perhaps a close companion.
  • body: The spheroid body did not rotate, but the ring appeared to be spinning at fantastic speed.

Noun used with modifier

  • tumor: A human breast tumor spheroid immunostained for the hypoxic cell marker, HIF-1 alpha ( red staining ).
  • tumor: Using the mathematical model and the experimental evidence we show that the tumor cell size is reduced by solid stress inside the tumor spheroid.
  • breast: A human breast tumor spheroid immunostained for the hypoxic cell marker, HIF-1 alpha ( red staining ).