cirrostratus

[sir-oh-strey-tuh s, -strat-uh s]

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).

Origin of cirrostratus

First recorded in 1795–1805; cirro- + stratus

Related formscir·ro·stra·tive, adjective

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

Examples from the Web for cirrostratus

Historical Examples of cirrostratus

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
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

noun plural -ti (-taɪ)

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

Derived Formscirrostrative, 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

cirrostratus in Science

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.