What does "cloudy" mean?

1. (weather) when the sky is full of clouds and you cannot see the sun clearly. 2. (not clear) describing a liquid or glass that you cannot see through clearly. 3. (uncertain) not clear in meaning or difficult to understand. 4. (computing) relating to services or data stored on the internet instead of a local computer.

How do you use "cloudy"?

Often used as a casual shorthand for 'cloud-based'.

cloudy

adj.

US //ˈkɫaʊdi// UK //klˈaʊdi// cloudy

1 weather (adj.)
A2 Elementary

when the sky is full of clouds and you cannot see the sun clearly.

characterised by a sky covered with clouds; having little or no sunshine.

Example

It was a cloudy morning, so we decided to bring our umbrellas just in case.

Example

The forecast predicts a cloudy afternoon with intermittent drizzle, which may impact the visibility for the outdoor photography session.
2 not clear (adj.)
B1 Intermediate

describing a liquid or glass that you cannot see through clearly.

lacking transparency or clarity; containing sediment or particles that make a substance opaque.

Example

The water in the fish tank looked cloudy and needed to be changed.

Example

The chemist noted that the solution became cloudy upon the addition of the reagent, indicating the formation of a precipitate.

Show 2 more sensesShow fewer

3 uncertain (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

not clear in meaning or difficult to understand.

metaphorically unclear, confused, or lacking in definition.

Example

His memory of the accident was a bit cloudy because it happened so fast.

Example

The legal implications of the new contract remain cloudy, as several clauses appear to contradict existing employment regulations.
- clear
- obvious
4 computing (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Computing

relating to services or data stored on the internet instead of a local computer.

pertaining to cloud computing environments or services hosted on remote servers.

Example

Our company is moving toward a more cloudy setup to save money on servers.

Example

The startup's infrastructure is entirely cloudy, allowing them to scale their operations rapidly without investing in physical hardware.

Usage

Often used as a casual shorthand for 'cloud-based'.

Teacher's tip

This is a relatively modern, informal usage; in professional technical writing, 'cloud-based' or 'cloud-native' is preferred.
- cloud based
- local
- on premise

Origin

From Middle English cloudy (“cloudy, overcast, gloomy, dark", also "hilly, rocky”), from Old English clūdiġ (“stony, rocky”), equivalent to cloud + -y.