Meanings
plural nimbi · plural nimbuses
- climatologyA grey rain cloud.
1 more example
[pages 99–100] Cumulo-cirro-stratus vel Nimbus. […] The rain cloud. A cloud or system of clouds from which rain is falling. It is a horizontal sheet, above which the cirrus spreads, while the cumulus enters it laterally and from beneath. […] [page 107] The nimbus, although in itself one of the least beautiful clouds, is yet now and then superbly decorated with its attendant the rainbow; which can only be seen in perfection when backed by the widely extended uniform gloom of this modification.
1803 July, Luke Howard, “XVIII. On the Modifications of Clouds, and on the Principles of Their Production, Suspension, and Destruction; being the Substance of an Essay Read before the Askesian Society in the Session 1802–3.”, in Alexander Tilloch, editor, The Philosophical Magazine and Journal: Comprehending the Various Branches of Science, the Liberal and Fine Arts, Agriculture, Manufactures, and Commerce, volume XVI, number 62, London: […] [Richard Taylor] for Alexander Tilloch; and sold by Messrs. Richardson, […], →ISSN, →OCLC, pages 99–100 and 107
Synonyms & antonyms
nounan indication of radiant light drawn around the head of a saint
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinnimbus“dark cloud”
- Englishnimbus
Learned borrowing from Latin nimbus (“dark cloud”). Doublet of nimb. Sense 2 (“grey rain cloud”) was coined by the British chemist and amateur meteorologist Luke Howard (1772–1864): see the 1803 quotation.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian ореол, нимба
- ореол (oreol)circle of light — see also halo
- нимба (nimba)circle of light — see also halo
- дъждовен облак (dăždoven oblak)rain cloud
Catalan nimbe
- nimbecircle of light — see also halo
Chinese Mandarin 暈 /晕, 光環 /光环
- 暈 /晕 (yùn)circle of light — see also halo
- 光環 /光环 (guānghuán)circle of light — see also halo
- 光輪 /光轮 (guānglún)circle of light — see also halo
- 圓光 /圆光 (yuánguāng)circle of light — see also halo
- 雨雲 /雨云 (yǔyún)rain cloud
Czech nimbus, nimbus
- nimbuscircle of light — see also halo
- nimbusrain cloud
Dutch nimbus, halo
- nimbuscircle of light — see also halo
- halocircle of light — see also halo
- nimbusrain cloud
Esperanto aŭreolo
- aŭreolocircle of light — see also halo
Finnish sädekehä, sadepilvi
- sädekehäcircle of light — see also halo
- sadepilvirain cloud
- nimbusrain cloud
French nimbe, nimbus
- nimbecircle of light — see also halo
- nimbusrain cloud
German Nimbus, Nimbus
- Nimbuscircle of light — see also halo
- Nimbusrain cloud
Indonesian nimbus, nimbus
- nimbuscircle of light — see also halo
- nimbusrain cloud
Italian nimbo
- nimbocircle of light — see also halo
Japanese 後光, 暈
- 後光 (gokō)circle of light — see also halo
- 暈 (kasa)circle of light — see also halo
- 光環 (kōkan)circle of light — see also halo
- 雨雲 (amagumo)rain cloud
Korean 난운
- 난운 (nanun)rain cloud
Latin nimbus, nimbus
- nimbuscircle of light — see also halo
- nimbusrain cloud
Māori okewa, kēkēao
- okewarain cloud
- kēkēaorain cloud
Polish nimb, nimbus
- nimbcircle of light — see also halo
- nimbuscircle of light — see also halo
- nimbusrain cloud
Portuguese nimbo, nimbo
- nimbocircle of light — see also halo
- nimborain cloud
Russian нимб, орео́л
- нимб (nimb)circle of light — see also halo
- орео́л (oreól)circle of light — see also halo
- дождево́е о́блако (doždevóje óblako)rain cloud
Spanish nimbo
- nimborain cloud
Swedish nimbus
- nimbuscircle of light — see also halo
Tagalog dagim, ulaning alapaap
- dagimrain cloud
- ulaning alapaaprain cloud
Turkish ayla, hale
- aylacircle of light — see also halo
- halecircle of light — see also halo
- yağmur buluturain cloud
Welsh lleugylch, nimbws
- lleugylchcircle of light — see also halo
- nimbwsrain cloud
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with nimbus
All rhymes →Cite this entry
nimbus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nimbus
“nimbus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nimbus. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nimbus,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nimbus.
Source: nimbus on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.