cape smoke: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low (Rare/Geographically Specific)Geographic, Technical (Meteorology), Local/Colloquial (South Africa)
Quick answer
What does “cape smoke” mean?
A meteorological phenomenon specific to Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, characterised by orographic cloud formation that cascades over the mountain's cliffs like smoke.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A meteorological phenomenon specific to Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, characterised by orographic cloud formation that cascades over the mountain's cliffs like smoke.
A local term for the distinctive, often dramatic, cloud formation (specifically a type of föhn or orographic cloud) that appears as a flowing, smokey-like sheet over Table Mountain's edges, particularly the iconic cliffs of Lion's Head and the plateau.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is unknown in general British or American English usage. Any understanding would be limited to meteorological, geographic, or South African cultural contexts.
Connotations
In its native context (Cape Town), it can connote a change in weather, a scenic or dramatic natural spectacle, and is deeply tied to local identity. Elsewhere, it has no connotations.
Frequency
Effectively zero frequency in UK/US general vocabulary. Only found in specialized texts about South Africa or meteorology.
Grammar
How to Use “cape smoke” in a Sentence
The cape smoke [verb: rolled, descended, formed, covered] over the mountain.We watched the cape smoke from the waterfront.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used; may appear in tourism, hospitality, or real estate marketing in South Africa (e.g., 'apartments with views of the cape smoke').
Academic
Used in physical geography, meteorology, and South African studies papers discussing local weather phenomena.
Everyday
Exclusively in the everyday speech of Capetonians or South Africans familiar with the region.
Technical
A technical term in meteorology for a specific type of orographic cloud formation.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cape smoke”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cape smoke”
- Using it as a general term for any fog or sea mist.
- Confusing it with 'sea smoke' (a different phenomenon, Arctic sea smoke).
- Capitalising it inconsistently (often left lowercase).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a specific type of orographic cloud formed by moist air rising and cooling over the mountain, not general ground-level fog.
Similar orographic cloud formations occur elsewhere, but the term 'cape smoke' is uniquely applied to the phenomenon on Table Mountain in Cape Town.
Because the cloud cascades down the steep cliffs of the mountain in a continuous, fluid sheet that visually resembles pouring smoke or a waterfall.
It is often written in lowercase as a common noun ('cape smoke'), but can be capitalised when treated as a proper name for the phenomenon, similar to 'the Table Cloth'.
A meteorological phenomenon specific to Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, characterised by orographic cloud formation that cascades over the mountain's cliffs like smoke.
Cape smoke is usually geographic, technical (meteorology), local/colloquial (south africa) in register.
Cape smoke: in British English it is pronounced /keɪp sməʊk/, and in American English it is pronounced /keɪp smoʊk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine the CAPE of Good Hope, with SMOKE-like clouds pouring over its famous flat-topped mountain.
Conceptual Metaphor
CLOUD IS SMOKE (A natural meteorological phenomenon is conceptualised as a substance produced by the mountain).
Practice
Quiz
What is 'cape smoke'?