cumulus

noun

cu·​mu·​lus ˈkyü-myə-ləs 

plural cumuli ˈkyü-myə-ˌlī  -ˌlē 

1

: heap, accumulation

2

[New Latin, from Latin] : a dense puffy cloud form having a flat base and rounded outlines often piled up like a mountain see cloud illustration

Synonyms of cumulus

• accumulation
• collection
• mixture
• assemblage
• jumble

Examples of cumulus in a Sentence

the cumulus of sundry things that fill up one's attic and somehow sum up a lifetime of experiences

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, in Virginia, several old text messages swallowed attorney general nominee Jay Jones in a cumulus of controversy. —Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025

Unlike Yukons, russets mash into an ethereally light texture akin to the fluffiest cumulus cloud on a bright summer day. —Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Nov. 2025

The Olsens contributed a cumulus and a cirrus cloud, in the form of the first and last looks. —Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 19 Aug. 2025

Thunderstorms and towering cumulus clouds are another key source of turbulence, which is particularly pronounced near the equator. —Renée Rigdon, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

1659, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cumulus

• tumulus

Kids Definition

cumulus

noun

cu·​mu·​lus ˈkyü-myə-ləs 

plural cumuli -ˌlī 

-ˌlē

: a dense puffy cloud form having a flat base and rounded outlines often piled up like a mountain

Medical Definition

cumulus

noun

cu·​mu·​lus ˈkyü-myə-ləs 

plural cumuli -ˌlī, -ˌlē 

: the projecting mass of granulosa cells that bears the developing ovum in a graafian follicle

called also discus proligerus