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cirrocumulus

[sir-oh-kyoo-myuh-luh s]
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noun, plural cir·ro·cu·mu·lus.
  1. 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).
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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. 2018

Examples from the Web for cirrocumulus

Historical Examples

  • 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)
  1. 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
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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

n.

1803, from cirrus + cumulus.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
cirrocumulus in Science

cirrocumulus

[sîr′ō-kyōōm′yə-ləs]
Plural cirrocumuli (sîr′ō-kyōōm′yə-lī′)
  1. 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.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.