Wolke

See also: wolke

German

Etymology

From Middle High German wolken, from Old High German wolkan, from Proto-Germanic *wulkaną, akin to Dutch wolk, English welkin, Proto-Slavic *volga, Albanian ulmej (“to wet, dampen”). From Proto-Indo-European *welg-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈvɔlkə/

• audio:

  (file)

Noun

Wolke f (genitive Wolke, plural Wolken, diminutive Wölkchen n or Wölklein n)

1. cloud, a visible mass of condensed water droplets in the air

   Der Himmel ist heute von Wolken bedeckt.

   The sky is covered in clouds today.

2. cloud, made of steam, ash, smoke or anything that resembles such a mass

   Bei Vulkanausbrüchen entstehen meist riesige Aschewolken.

   During volcanic eruptions, vast ash clouds do often appear.

3. nebula, enormous masses of interstellar dust and hydrogen in outerspace (may also be Nebel in this sense)

   Interstellare Staubwolken sind häufig die Kinderstuben neuer Sterne.

   Interstellar nebulae are often the cradles for new stars.

Derived terms

• bewölkt
• Bewölkung f
• Rauchwolke f
• Staubwolke f
• Wolkenbruch m
• Wolkenkratzer m
• wolkenlos

Further reading

• “Wolke” in Duden online