A hemisphere is half of a sphere, such as half of Earth. The word is often used for the northern and southern halves of the planet, or for the two halves of the brain.
From Greek “hēmi-” meaning “half” and “sphaira” meaning “ball” or “sphere.” It came into English through Latin and French with the same basic meaning: half a globe.
When you hear about the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, you’re literally talking about Earth sliced into two giant halves. Your brain also has two hemispheres, and they specialize in different kinds of thinking, but they constantly share information. So you’re a walking example of hemispheres working together every second.
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