cirrostratus

American  

[sir-oh-strey-tuhs, -strat-uhs] / ˌsɪr oʊˈstreɪ təs, -ˈstræt əs /

noun

1. 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).

---

cirrostratus British  

/ ˌsɪrəʊˈstrɑːtəs /

noun

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

---

cirrostratus Scientific  

/ sîr′ō-străt′əs /

cirrostrati plural

1. 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).

2. See illustration at cloud

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• cirrostrative
  adjective

Inflected Forms

noun

• cirrostratus
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cirrostratus

First recorded in 1795–1805; cirro- + stratus

Example Sentences

High clouds streaking upward of 45,000 feet above the ground are called Cirrus, Cirrocumulus or Cirrostratus, while lower-lying Cumulus or Cumulonimbus clouds are usually spotted anywhere from the Earth’s surface to 6,500 feet above land.

From Reuters • Jul. 25, 2019

Cirrostratus is a "very subtle" cloud that can be nothing more than a milky whitening of the sky.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2012