sphero-, spher-, -sphere-

1. The region of the Earth's atmosphere between the troposphere and mesosphere, from 6 miles/10 km to 30 miles/50 km above the Earth's surface. It has no clouds and is marked by gradual temperature increases.
2. In former use, it referred to all of the atmosphere above the troposphere.
3. A very high or the highest level or position.
4. The nearly uniform cold ocean water masses in high latitudes and near-bottom waters of middle and low latitudes; ocean water below the thermocline.

The lowest layer of the Earth's atmosphere, at a height of about 12 miles/20 km above the Earth.

1. The technological aspect of human activity.
2. In ecology, a collective term for all those aspects of the physical environment that have been created or altered by humans.

A part of the earth that moves during plate tectonic activity.

In meteorology, the atmospheric layer, constituting essentially all of the atmosphere above the mesosphere (that is, above about 80-90 km altitude), in which temperature increases with height; includes the exosphere and most or all of the ionosphere.

In the area above the mesosphere, the temperature increases with altitude up to about 200 km, and above that it varies widely depending on the degree of solar activity with temperatures as high as 2000 degrees C are said to be possible.

That which conveys no suggestion of tone or mood; that which fails to evoke associations.

The whole area of the earth's surface, atmosphere, and sea that is inhabited by living things.

Also known as the "biosphere".

The world community of animals.