Meanings
nounsphaeridium (plural sphaeridia)
plural sphaeridia
- biologyA tiny, spherical appendage, generally formed in masses to form a kind of sense organ, found on the test of most sea urchins. It is generally supposed to be an olfactory organ, or for equilibrium, similar to the otolith
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSynonym of capitulum.
Similar
Also see
Origin
- Ancient Greekσφαιρίδιον“sphere (diminutive form)”
- Englishsphaeridium
From Ancient Greek σφαιρίδιον (sphairídion, “sphere (diminutive form)”), by surface analysis, sphero- + -idium.
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
sphaeridium. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sphaeridium
MLA
“sphaeridium.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sphaeridium. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sphaeridium,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sphaeridium.
Source: sphaeridium on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.