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ar·mil·lar·y sphere

(ärmə-lĕr′ē, är-mĭlə-rē)

An old astronomical model with solid, usually metal rings, all great circles of a single sphere, used to display relationships among the principal celestial circles.

[Translation of French sphère armillaire, from Latin armilla, bracelet, from armus, shoulder; see ar- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

(click for a larger image)

armillary sphere

by Adam Heroldt

(active 1616-1649)

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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