sphaîra

sphaîra σφαῖρᾰ

Connections with σπαίρω (spaírō, “to gasp”) or Proto-Indo-European *sperH- (“to kick, rebound, move convulsively”, the original sense would be "something that rebounds") have been suggested, but the aspiration of σπ- to σφ- is unexplained and the semantic development is dubious. Nikolayev instead suggests derivation from a Proto-Hellenic *skʷʰə́řřa, from a putative Proto-Indo-European *sgʷʰer- (“to be round”); compare Avestan 𐬰𐬔𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬯𐬥𐬀 (zgər^əsna, “round”) and Hittite [Term?] pl(/⁠šū̆rita⁠/, “skeins of wool”) (a borrowing from Luwian).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /spʰâi̯.ra/ → /ˈsɸɛ.ra/ → /ˈsfe.ra/

Noun

σφαῖρᾰ • (sphaîră) f (genitive σφαίρᾱς); first declension

1. ball, globe, sphere