altocumulus cloud
- noun
- /ˌæltoʊˈkjuːmjələs klaʊd/
- Specialized
:
nube altocúmulo
- Forget that it's supposed to take place over the Mojave Desert, where clouds of any species are rare, but no altocumulus cloud anywhere in Earth's real atmosphere would be caught dead above 20,000 feet.
Examples
-
As the airplane climbed higher, we could see a formation of altocumulus clouds rolling in the distance.
-
As he ascends supersonically, you see puffy white altocumulus clouds whizzing by.
Academic text (2002) -
The sky was filled with layers of altocumulus clouds, creating a beautiful pattern during the afternoon.
-
The weather forecast mentioned the possibility of altocumulus clouds developing, which is a sign of fair weather.
Synonyms
1
8.6
A white or gray cloud that looks like small rounded patches at medium height in the sky
How High
- Specialized
2
7.0
- Specialized
- Specialized
4
4.9
- Specialized
1
5.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is directly compositional: 'altocumulus' denotes a medium-altitude cloud type and 'cloud' names the atmospheric mass, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it refers to a type of cloud at intermediate altitudes. Although 'altocumulus' is somewhat technical, the noun+noun naming pattern and the literal meanings make the overall sense predictable.
Etymology
Altocumulus cloud comes from two parts: alto meaning 'middle' and cumulus meaning 'puffy heap'. So the name paints a simple picture of many small, rounded clouds at a middle height, and that is why we use it for those mid-level, rolled clouds.