hemisphere

/ˈhɛmɪsfɪə/

//ˈhɛmɪsfɪə// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"hemisphere" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“hemisphere” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #11,392. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#11,392
frequency rank, English
23,837
“H” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Half of the celestial sphere, as divided by either the ecliptic or the celestial equator .

Key facts for hemisphere
PropertyValue
Headwordhemisphere
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhɛmɪsfɪə/
Letters10
Frequency rank#11,392
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hemisphere” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). hemisphere lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around hemisphere (IPA /ˈhɛmɪsfɪə/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #11,392 among 23,837 “H” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for hemisphere, with forms such as "ehmisphere", "heimsphere", and "hemipshere". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin hemisphaerium, from Ancient Greek ἡμισφαίριον (hēmisphaírion), from ἡμι- (hēmi-, “half”) + σφαῖρα (sphaîra, “sphere”). Equivalent to hemi- + sphere. Displaced native Old English healftrendel (literally “half-sphere”). The correct English form is hemisphere, spelled H-E-M-I-S-P-H-E-R-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Half of the celestial sphere, as divided by either the ecliptic or the celestial equator .
  2. 2
    A realm or domain of activity .
  3. 3
    Half of the Earth, such as the Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, Western Hemisphere or Eastern Hemisphere, Land Hemisphere, Water Hemisphere etc. .
  4. 4
    Any half-sphere, formed by a plane intersecting the center of a sphere. .
  5. 5
    A map or projection of a celestial or terrestrial hemisphere .
  6. 6
    Either of the two halves of the cerebrum. .

Etymology

From Latin hemisphaerium, from Ancient Greek ἡμισφαίριον (hēmisphaírion), from ἡμι- (hēmi-, “half”) + σφαῖρα (sphaîra, “sphere”). Equivalent to hemi- + sphere. Displaced native Old English healftrendel (literally “half-sphere”).

Synonyms

celestial hemisphereterrestrial hemispherespherehalf-spherehalf spherecerebral hemisphereplanisphere

This word in other languages

hemisferio(Español)hémisphère(Français)Hemisphäre(Deutsch)hemisfério(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ehmisphere
  • heimsphere
  • hemipshere
  • hemishpere
  • hemispehre
  • hemispheer
  • hemispherre
  • hemisphhere
  • hemisphree
  • hemispphere
  • hemissphere
  • hemmisphere
  • hemsiphere
  • hhemisphere
  • hmeisphere

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of hemisphere - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ehmisphere2heimsphere2hemipshere2hemishpere2hemispehre2hemispheer2hemispherre1hemisphhere1
Edit distance from "hemisphere"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "hemisphere"?
"hemisphere" is spelled H-E-M-I-S-P-H-E-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɛmɪsfɪə/.
What does "hemisphere" mean?
As a noun, "hemisphere" means: Half of the celestial sphere, as divided by either the ecliptic or the celestial equator .
What are common misspellings of "hemisphere"?
Common misspellings include "ehmisphere", "heimsphere", "hemipshere", "hemishpere", "hemispehre". The correct spelling is "hemisphere".
How do you pronounce "hemisphere"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hemisphere" is /ˈhɛmɪsfɪə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "hemisphere"?
From Latin hemisphaerium, from Ancient Greek ἡμισφαίριον (hēmisphaírion), from ἡμι- (hēmi-, “half”) + σφαῖρα (sphaîra, “sphere”). Equivalent to hemi- + sphere. Displaced native Old English healftrendel (literally “half-sphere”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “hemisphere”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is H-E-M-I-S-P-H-E-R-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈhɛmɪsfɪə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list