cirrostratus

[ sir-oh-strey-tuhs, -strat-uhs ]

/ ˌsɪr oʊˈstreɪ təs, -ˈstræt əs /

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noun, plural cir·ro·stra·tus.

a cloud of a class characterized by a composition of ice crystals and often by the production of halo phenomena and appearing as a whitish and usually somewhat fibrous veil, often covering the whole sky and sometimes so thin as to be hardly discernible: of high altitude, about 20,000–40,000 feet (6000–12,000 meters).

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Origin of cirrostratus

First recorded in 1795–1805; cirro- + stratus

OTHER WORDS FROM cirrostratus

cir·ro·stra·tive, adjective

Words nearby cirrostratus

cirriped, cirripede, cirro-, cirrocumulus, cirrose, cirrostratus, cirrus, cirrus clouds, cirsoid, cis, cisaconitic acid

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

How to use cirrostratus in a sentence

Cirri and cirrostratus clouds have been very prevalent during the day, and cumulostratus during the night.
Successful Exploration Through the Interior of Australia|William John Wills
The vapour having then risen, occupied the upper air in the form of light cirrostratus and cumulus clouds.
Successful Exploration Through the Interior of Australia|William John Wills
Night clear and very cold; no wind; towards morning, sky became slightly overcast with cirrostratus clouds.
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 cirrostratus

cirrostratus

/ (ˌsɪrəʊˈstrɑːtəs) /

noun plural -ti (-taɪ)

a uniform layer of cloud above about 6000 metres (20 000 feet)

Derived forms of cirrostratus

cirrostrative, adjective

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 cirrostratus

cirrostratus

[ sîr′ō-străt′əs ]

Plural cirrostrati (sîr′ō-străt′ī′)

A thin, hazy, high-altitude cloud composed of ice crystals, often covering the sky in sheets and producing a halo effect around the sun. Cirrostratus clouds generally form between 6,100 and 12,200 m (20,000 and 40,000 ft). See illustration at cloud.