cirrocumulus

[sir-oh-kyoo-myuh-luh s]

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).

Origin of cirrocumulus

First recorded in 1795–1805; cirro- + cumulus

Related formscir·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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for cirrocumulus

Historical Examples of cirrocumulus

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

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

Word Origin and History for cirrocumulus

1803, from cirrus + cumulus.

cirrocumulus in Science

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.