Cloud Definition & Meaning

1

: a visible mass of particles of condensed vapor (such as water orice) suspended in the atmosphere of a planet (such as the earth) ormoon

2

: something resembling orsuggesting a cloud: such as

a

: a light filmy, puffy, orbillowy mass seeming to float in the air
a ship under a cloud of sail

b( 1 )

: a usually visible mass of minute particles suspended in the air ora gas

(2)

: an aggregation of usually obscuring matter especially in interstellar space

(3)

: an aggregate of charged particles (such as electrons)

c

: a great crowd ormultitude : swarm

3

: something that has a dark , lowering , orthreaten aspect

4

: something that obscure orblemish

5

: a dark oropaque vein orspot (as in marble ora precious stone)

6

: the computers and connections that support cloud computing
storing files in the cloud

—often used before another noun

cloud storage / backup

cloud software

cloudlike
adjective

orcloud-like

cloudlike chocolate mousse

• 1 cirrus
• 2 cirrostratus
• 3 cirrocumulus
• 4 altostratus
• 5 altocumulus
• 6 stratocumulus
• 7 nimbostratus
• 8 cumulus
• 9 cumulonimbus
• 10 stratus

intransitive verb

1

: to grow cloudy

—usually used with over orup

clouded over before the storm

2

a

of facial feature

: to become troubled, apprehensive, ordistressed in appearance
her faceclouded with worry

b

: to become blurry, dubious, orominous

—often used withover

the outlook is cloud over

3

: to billow up in the form of a cloud

transitive verb

1

a

: to envelop orhide with oras if with a cloud

b

: to make opaque especially by condensation of moisture
steamclouded the windows

c

: to make murky especially with smoke ormist

2

: to make unclear orconfused

4

: to cast gloom over
cloud prospects for success

Last Updated:
17 Dec 2024
– Updated example sentences

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Merriam-Webster unabridged