Phrase guide

mackerel sky

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A sky filled with a regular pattern of altocumulus clouds somewhat resembling the skin of a mackerel.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1717, Dictionarium Rusticum, Urbanicum & Botanicum, London: J. Nicholson et al., 2nd edition, “CLOUDS,” [...] in a fair day, if the Sky seem to be dappled with white Clouds, which is usually termed, A Mackerel-Sky, it commonly predicts rain:

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a sky filled with rows of cirrocumulus or small altocumulus clouds

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: sky

History

Etymology

From mackerel + sky.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: beránky — sky filled with a regular pattern of altocumulus clouds
  • French: ciel moutonné — sky filled with a regular pattern of altocumulus clouds
  • German: Schäfchenwolken — sky filled with a regular pattern of altocumulus clouds
  • German: Schäfchen — sky filled with a regular pattern of altocumulus clouds
  • Irish: spéir dhroim an ronnaigh — sky filled with a regular pattern of altocumulus clouds
  • Irish: spéir ronnach — sky filled with a regular pattern of altocumulus clouds
  • Māori: māra kūmara a Ngātoro-i-rangi — sky filled with a regular pattern of altocumulus clouds
  • Māori: rangi kōpukupuku — sky filled with a regular pattern of altocumulus clouds
  • Spanish: cielo aborregado — sky filled with a regular pattern of altocumulus clouds