ebullition, and without actual contact with the heated surface, — a phenomenon due to the repulsive
force of heat, the intervention of a cushion of nonconducting vapor, and the cooling effect of evaporation.
Spheroidic
(Sphe*roid"ic Sphe*roid"ic*al) a. See Spheroidal. Cheyne.
Spheroidicity
(Sphe`roi*dic"i*ty Sphe*roid"i*ty) n. The quality or state of being spheroidal.
Spheromere
(Sphe"ro*mere) n. [Sphere + -mere.] (Zoöl.) Any one of the several symmetrical segments
arranged around the central axis and composing the body of a radiate anmal.
Spherometer
(Sphe*rom"e*ter) n. [Sphere + -meter: cf. F. sphéromètre.] (Physics) An instrument for
measuring the curvature of spherical surface, as of lenses for telescope, etc.
Spherosiderite
(Spher`o*sid"er*ite) n. [Sphere + siderite.] (Min.) Siderite occuring in spheroidal masses.
Spherosome
(Sphe"ro*some) n. [Sphere + -some body.] (Zoöl.) The body wall of any radiate animal.
Spherulate
(Spher"u*late) a. Covered or set with spherules; having one or more rows of spherules, or
minute tubercles.
Spherule
(Spher"ule) n. [L. spherula: cf. F. sphérule.] A little sphere or spherical body; as, quicksilver,
when poured upon a plane, divides itself into a great number of minute spherules.
Spherulite
(Spher"u*lite) n. [Cf. F. sphérulite.] (Min.) A minute spherical crystalline body having a
radiated structure, observed in some vitreous volcanic rocks, as obsidian and pearlstone.
Spherulitic
(Spher`u*lit"ic) a. Of or pertaining to a spherulite; characterized by the presence of spherulites.
Sphery
(Spher"y) a.
1. Round; spherical; starlike. [R.] "Hermia's sphery eyne." Shak.
2. Of or pertaining to the spheres. [R.]
She can teach ye how to climb
Higher than the sphery chime.
Milton. Sphex
(Sphex) n.[NL., fr. Gr. a wasp.] (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of sand wasps of the genus
Sphex and allied genera. These wasps have the abdomen attached to the thorax by a slender pedicel.
See Illust. of Sand wasp, under Sand.
Sphex fly (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of small dipterous flies of the genus Conops and allied
genera. The form of the body is similar to that of a sphex.
Sphigmometer
(Sphig*mom"e*ter) n. See Sphygmometer.
Sphincter
(Sphinc"ter) n. [NL., fr. to bind tight.] (Anat.) A muscle which surrounds, and by its contraction
tends to close, a natural opening; as, the sphincter of the bladder.
Sphincter
(Sphinc"ter), a. (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, a sphincter; as, a sphincter muscle.
Sphingid
(Sphin"gid) n. (Zoöl.) A sphinx.
Sphingid
(Sphin"gid), a. Of or pertaining to a sphinx, or the family Sphingidæ.
Sphinx
(Sphinx) n. [L., from Gr. sfi`gx, usually derived from sfi`ggein to bind tight or together, as if the
Throttler.]
