Webster's English Dictionary

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hemisphere

hemi.sphere or hemi.sphe.ri.cal \'hem-*-.sfi(*)r\ \.hem-*-'sfi(*)r-ik, 
   -'sfer-\ \-i-k*l\ n [ME hemisphere, fr. L hemisphaerium, fr. Gk 
   he-misphairion], fr. he-mi- + sphairion, dim. of sphaira sphere 1a: a half 
   of the celestial sphere divided into two halves by the horizon,  the 
   celestial equator, or the ecliptic 1b: the northern or southern half of the 
   earth divided by the equator or th e eastern or western half divided by a 
   meridian 1c: the inhabitants of a terrestrial hemisphere  2: REALM, 
   PROVINCE  3: one of two half spheres formed by a plane through the sphere's 
   center  4: a map or projection of a celestial or terrestrial hemisphere  5: 
   CEREBRAL HEMISPHERE  - hemi.sphe.ri.c aj