Idiom
On cloud nine
If you are on cloud nine, you are extremely happy, usually because something wonderful has just happened.
How people use it
People say it after good news: a new job, an engagement, a big win, a new baby. "Since she got into her dream school, Maya has been on cloud nine." It describes a feeling that lasts a while, not just a quick smile. The usual verbs are "be" and "feel," and you may also hear "floating on cloud nine." The tone is informal and cheerful. A close match is "over the moon."
Also said: floating on cloud nine.
Examples
- Leo was on cloud nine after scoring the winning goal.
- When the adoption papers came through, the whole family was on cloud nine.
- She has been floating on cloud nine since the bakery got its first five-star review.
Where it comes from
The phrase is American and became common in the 1950s, but no one knows exactly why the number is nine. A popular explanation says it comes from a weather service system in which "cloud nine" was the tallest kind of cloud, but this is not well supported. Earlier speakers also said "cloud seven" with the same meaning, which suggests the number was not tied to any real list of clouds. Nine may simply have sounded higher and happier.
Check yourself
1. How does someone on cloud nine feel?
Answer: Very happy. On cloud nine describes great happiness, often after good news.
2. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Answer: After hearing she passed her nursing exam, Priya was on cloud nine.. The idiom describes joy after good news, not a flight path or a bad day.
Similar idioms
Word game fan? See every word hiding in CLOUD.