cirrocumulus

[ sir-oh-kyoo-myuh-luhs ]

/ ˌsɪr oʊˈkyu myə ləs /

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noun, plural cir·ro·cu·mu·lus.

a cirriform cloud of a class characterized by thin, white patches, each of which is composed of very small granules or ripples: of high altitude, about 20,000–40,000 feet (6000–12,000 meters). Abbreviation: Cc

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Origin of cirrocumulus

First recorded in 1795–1805; cirro- + cumulus

OTHER WORDS FROM cirrocumulus

cir·ro·cu·mu·lar, cir·ro·cu·mu·la·tive

[sir-oh-kyoo-myuh-ley-tiv, -luh-tiv], /ˌsɪr oʊˈkyu myəˌleɪ tɪv, -lə tɪv/, cir·ro·cu·mu·lous, adjective

Words nearby cirrocumulus

cirri, cirriform, cirriped, cirripede, cirro-, cirrocumulus, cirrose, cirrostratus, cirrus, cirrus clouds, cirsoid

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cirrocumulus in a sentence

Towards morning there were a few cirrocumulus clouds passing over north-east to south-west, but these disappeared before daylight.
Successful Exploration Through the Interior of Australia|William John Wills
Towards afternoon, cirrocumulus and cirrostratus began to appear moving northward.
Successful Exploration Through the Interior of Australia|William John Wills

British Dictionary definitions for cirrocumulus

cirrocumulus

/ (ˌsɪrəʊˈkjuːmjʊləs) /

noun plural -li (-ˌlaɪ)

meteorol a high cloud of ice crystals grouped into small separate globular masses, usually occurring above 6000 metres (20 000 feet)See also mackerel sky

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for cirrocumulus

cirrocumulus

[ sîr′ō-kyōōm′yə-ləs ]

Plural cirrocumuli (sîr′ō-kyōōm′yə-lī′)

A high-altitude cloud composed of a series of small, regularly arranged cloudlets in the form of ripples or grains. Cirrocumulus clouds generally form between 6,100 and 12,200 m (20,000 and 40,000 ft) and are composed exclusively of ice crystals. See illustration at cloud.