Have you ever wondered about the definition of cloud 9? This article will provide you with all of the info you need on the word cloud 9, including its definition, etymology, usage, example sentences, and more!
Your writing, at its best
Compose bold, clear, mistake-free, writing with Grammarly's AI-powered writing assistant
According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language and Collins English Dictionary, the term cloud nine refers to a state of perfect happiness. This state of elation and psychological state of pride feels like the very peak of existence, high above glorious white mountains in the sky.Â
Someone might feel like they are on cloud no. nine if they win a marathon, are a hero who saves the day, if they get into a school like Princeton University or if they complete a very difficult arithmetic sequence.
What is the origin of the phrase cloud nine?
According to The Idioms free dictionary, the term cloud nine comes from the 1896 edition of the International Cloud Atlas. Here, the types of cloud were assigned a numerical order. The number nine cloud was the cumulonimbus cloud, which is the highest reaching cloud that can rise up to 10km into the sky. Therefore, in a metaphorical sense, being on cloud nine would mean you are on top of a high up cumulonimbus cloud, and on top of the world in these classifications of cloud. There are also postulations that the word cloud nine comes from the ten steps of enlightenment in the Buddhist faith and Buddhism. While this origin is unknown, we know that the phrase has been used since the 1950s. Early examples of the first printed definition of the term were in the Denton Record Chronicle in May 1949 with an article about United States actress Betty Hutton and the Catalina Island yacht race in June 1947 with a yacht called Cloud Nine per the dictionary of American Slang. The term was also popularised by the Johnny Dollar radio show of the early 1950s. This term, along with other such acronyms or abbreviations, often have a murky origin.
What are synonyms and antonyms of cloud nine?
There are many different words that can be used in place of the word cloud nine, called synonyms. Synonyms are words and sometimes phrases that have the same definition as another word or phrase. Learning synonyms is a great way to avoid repeating yourself as well as expand your English language vocabulary. This list of synonyms of cloud nine is provided by Power Thesaurus.Â
cheer
heaven of heavens
great happiness
optimism
euphoric state
gaiety
celestial throne
well-being
paradise
transport
divine abode
ravishment
ecstasy
beatitude
enjoyment
walking on air
absence of depression
feeling of euphoria
good cheer
bliss
heaven
pleasure
good spirits
joy
blitheness
pig heaven
throne of god
jubilation
cheerfulness
elation
euphoria
cheeriness
carefreeness
enchantment
contentment
idyllic realm
felicity
exuberance
joyousness
blissfulness
seventh heaven
rapture
contentedness
happiness
top of the world
cloud number nine
glee
high spirits
gladness
extreme happiness
exhilaration
joyfulness
delight
perfect contentment
delectation
What are other common idioms in the English language?
There are many different expressions in the English language that are considered idioms. Idioms might be difficult to decipher if English is not your first language, but with this list of common idioms from EF, you will be sure to be an expert on idioms in no time!
 Go back to the drawing board – Start overÂ
 Your guess is as good as mine – I have no ideaÂ
 Miss the boat – It’s too lateÂ
 Bite the bullet – To get something over with because it is inevitableÂ
 That’s the last straw – My patience has run outÂ
 Speak of the devil – The person we were just talking about showed up!Â
 Cutting corners – Doing something poorly in order to save time or moneyÂ
 Pull someone’s leg – To joke with someoneÂ
 It’s not rocket science – It’s not complicatedÂ
 The best of both worlds – An ideal situationÂ
 Call it a day – Stop working on somethingÂ
 Give someone the benefit of the doubt – Trust what someone saysÂ
 Wrap your head around something – Understand something complicatedÂ
 On the ball – Doing a good jobÂ
 A blessing in disguise – a good thing that seemed bad at firstÂ
 A penny saved is a penny earned – Money you save today you can spend later
 A perfect storm – the worst possible situation
 Cut somebody some slack – Don’t be so criticalÂ
 You can say that again – That’s true, I agreeÂ
 No pain, no gain – You have to work for what you wantÂ
 We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it – Let’s not talk about that problem right nowÂ
 Make a long story short – Tell something brieflyÂ
 A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush – What you have is worth more than what you might have later
 A penny for your thoughts – Tell me what you’re thinking
 A picture is worth 1000 words – Better to show than tell
 Get out of hand – Get out of controlÂ
 Time flies when you’re having fun – You don’t notice how long something lasts when it’s funÂ
 To make matters worse – Make a problem worseÂ
 Hit the sack – Go to sleepÂ
 Break a leg – Good luckÂ
 Better late than never – Better to arrive late than not to come at allÂ
 Beat around the bush – Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortableÂ
 Easy does it – Slow downÂ
 To get bent out of shape – To get upsetÂ
 Get something out of your system – Do the thing you’ve been wanting to do so you can move onÂ
 A dime a dozen – Something commonÂ
 Pull yourself together – Calm downÂ
 So far so good – Things are going well so farÂ
 Hang in there – Don’t give upÂ
 Let someone off the hook – To not hold someone responsible for something
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.