stratus (n.)

"a low layer of cloud," 1803, from Latin stratus "a spreading," from noun use of past participle of sternere "to spread out, lay down, stretch out," from nasalized form of PIE root *stere- "to spread."

Entries linking to stratus

*stere-

*sterə-, also *ster-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to spread."

It forms all or part of: consternate; consternation; construct; construction; destroy; destruction; industry; instruct; instruction; instrument; obstruct; obstruction; perestroika; prostrate; sternum; sternocleidomastoid; strain (n.2) "race, stock, line;" stratagem; strategy; strath; strato-; stratocracy; stratography; stratosphere; stratum; stratus; straw; stray; street; strew; stroma; structure; substrate; substratum; substructure.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit strnoti "strews, throws down;" Avestan star- "to spread out, stretch out;" Greek stronymi "strew," stroma "bedding, mattress," sternon "breast, breastbone;" Latin sternere "to stretch, extend;" Old Church Slavonic stira, streti "spread," strana "area, region, country;" Russian stroji "order;" Gothic straujan, Old High German strouwen, Old English streowian "to sprinkle, strew;" Old English streon "strain," streaw "straw, that which is scattered;" Old High German stirna "forehead," strala "arrow, lightning bolt;" Old Irish fo-sernaim "spread out," srath "a wide river valley;" Welsh srat "plain."

nimbostratus (n.)

"thick, low, dark cloud from which rain or snow falls," 1932 (earlier use from late 19c. refers to different cloud types), from Modern Latin nimbus "cloud" (see nimbus) + connecting element -o- + stratus (see stratus). Nimbus as "a rain cloud" is attested from 1803.

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updated on April 24, 2017

Definitions of stratus from WordNet

stratus (n.)

a large dark low cloud;

Synonyms: stratus cloud

From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.

Dictionary entries near stratus

strato-cumulus

stratography

stratosphere

stratovolcano

stratum

stratus

straw

straw man

strawberry

stray

streak