sphaera recta
English
Etymology
First attested in 1932; Latin: sphaera (“sphere”, “globe of the heavens”) + rēcta (feminine nominative singular of rēctus, “right”, “upright”) = “upright sphere”.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈsfiːɹə ˈɹɛktə/
Noun
sphaera recta (singulare tantum)
- (astronomy) An idealised conception of the celestial sphere in which the celestial equator is perpendicular to the local horizon and the Sun reaches the zenith at its highest point.
- 1932, Sir Thomas Little Heath, Greek Astronomy, page 135
- There is a certain region lying to the south of us which is said to be under the equator, where the poles fall on the horizon, and the sphere of the universe stands straight up, as it were (sphaera recta).
- For more examples of usage of this term, see Citations:sphaera recta.
- 1932, Sir Thomas Little Heath, Greek Astronomy, page 135
Antonyms
- sphaera obliqua
Latin
Pronunciation
- (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈspʰae̯.ra ˈreːk.ta/
Noun
sphaera rēcta f (genitive sphaerae rēctae); first declension
- (New Latin) sphaera recta
Inflection
First declension noun with first/second declension adjective.
| Case | Singular |
|---|---|
| Nominative | sphaera rēcta |
| Genitive | sphaerae rēctae |
| Dative | sphaerae rēctae |
| Accusative | sphaeram rēctam |
| Ablative | sphaerā rēctā |
| Vocative | sphaera rēcta |