In my science book it says that Stratus come from a Latin word mean pile up what is the latin word?
2006-11-27 07:13:20 · 3 answers · asked by Ultra Girl 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
The Latin verb "cumulare" means to pile up, hence "cumulus" for the piled-up type of cloud.
The Latin noun "stratum" variously means a quilt, blanket, or pavement, hence "stratus" for the type of cloud in thin layers.
I read somewhere else recently that all these names of cloud types were made up only about two hundred years ago by a classically-minded amateur meteorologist, and they stuck.
2006-11-27 09:13:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Stratus is a wide extended horizontal sheet of cloud. It doesn't seem to have much connection with "piling up" in itself.
The Latin "stratus", meaning "stretched", "extended", "spread", comes from the verb "sternere"
2006-11-28 08:18:45 · answer #2 · answered by zlevad 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think perhaps your book is referring to the word "stratum" (plural strata), which has the meaning of cover, bed or layer.
2006-11-27 07:38:37 · answer #3 · answered by Doethineb 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋