cumulus
[ kyoo-myuh-luhs ]
/ ˈkyu myə ləs /
noun, plural cu·mu·lus.
a heap; pile.
a cloud of a class characterized by dense individual elements in the form of puffs, mounds, or towers, with flat bases and tops that often resemble cauliflower: as such clouds develop vertically, they form cumulonimbus.
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Origin of cumulus
1650–60; <New Latin (Latin: mass, pile)
Words nearby cumulus
cumuliform, cumulo-, cumulonimbus, cumulostratus, cumulous, cumulus, cumulus clouds, Cuna, Cunard, Cunaxa, cunctation
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for cumulus
British Dictionary definitions for cumulus
cumulus
/ (ˈkjuːmjʊləs) /
noun plural -li (-ˌlaɪ)
a bulbous or billowing white or dark grey cloud associated with rising air currentsCompare cirrus (def. 1), stratus
histology the mass of cells surrounding a recently ovulated egg cell in a Graafian follicle
Word Origin for cumulus
C17: from Latin: mass
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for cumulus
cumulus
[ kyōōm′yə-ləs ]
Plural cumuli (kyōōm′yə-lī′)
A dense, white, fluffy cloud with a flat base, a multiple rounded top, and a well-defined outline. The bases of cumulus clouds form primarily in altitudes below 2,000 m (6,560 ft), but their tops can reach much higher. Cumulus clouds are generally associated with fair weather but can also bring rain when they expand to higher levels. The clouds' edges are well-defined when they are composed of water droplets and fuzzy when made up of ice crystals. See illustration at cloud.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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