cumulus

[ kyoo-myuh-luhs ]

noun

, plural cu·mu·lus.

1. a heap; pile.
2. 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.

cumulus

/ ˈkjuːmjʊləs /

noun

1. a bulbous or billowing white or dark grey cloud associated with rising air currents Compare cirrus stratus
2. histology the mass of cells surrounding a recently ovulated egg cell in a Graafian follicle

cumulus

/ kyo̅o̅m′yə-ləs /

, Plural cumuli kyo̅o̅m′yə-lī′

1. 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.
2. See illustration at cloud

Word History and Origins

Origin of cumulus¹

1650–60; < New Latin ( Latin: mass, pile)

Word History and Origins

Origin of cumulus¹

C17: from Latin: mass

Example Sentences

It sold to investor and entrepreneur Alex Meruelo’s Meruelo Media in 2019, paying $43 million to the previous owner, Atlanta-based radio giant Cumulus Media.

From Los Angeles Times

My sister materializes through golden-hued cumulus clouds, beckons with her hand for me to come to her, and so I do.

From Los Angeles Times

The type of clouds in Dr. Trees’s study, cumulus, tends to bubble up because the sun’s warmth on the Earth’s surface forces low-level air to rise, similar to the way water bubbles up as it boils in a pot.

From New York Times

While some cumulus clouds may be present on Monday, the dominant cloud cover in portions of the South and Northeast is likely to come from a few storm systems that create types of clouds less affected by the temperature change created by the eclipse.

From New York Times

A recent study found that cumulus clouds, the small cotton ball-like ones typical for a sunny day, can dissipate once an eclipse begins.

From New York Times