glacier
[ gley-sher ]
/ ˈgleɪ ʃər /
noun
an extended mass of ice formed from snow falling and accumulating over the years and moving very slowly, either descending from high mountains, as in valley glaciers, or moving outward from centers of accumulation, as in continental glaciers.
Origin of glacier
1735–45; < dialectal French, derivative of Old French
glace ice < Late Latin
glacia (for Latin
glaciēs)
OTHER WORDS FROM glacier
gla·ciered, adjectiveWords nearby glacier
Example sentences from the Web for glacier
British Dictionary definitions for glacier
glacier
/ (ˈɡlæsɪə, ˈɡleɪs-) /
noun
a slowly moving mass of ice originating from an accumulation of snow. It can either spread out from a central mass (continental glacier) or descend from a high valley (alpine glacier)
Word Origin for glacier
C18: from French (Savoy dialect), from Old French
glace ice, from Late Latin
glacia, from Latin
glaciēs ice
Scientific definitions for glacier
glacier
[ glā′shər ]
A large mass of ice moving very slowly through a valley or spreading outward from a center. Glaciers form over many years from packed snow in areas where snow accumulates faster than it melts. A glacier is always moving, but when its forward edge melts faster than the ice behind it advances, the glacier as a whole shrinks backward.
Cultural definitions for glacier
glacier
A large mass of ice formed over many years that does not melt during the summer. Glaciers move slowly over an area of land such as a mountain valley.
notes for glacier
Glaciers exist in high mountains throughout the temperate zones and cover most of
Antarctica. Glaciers recede during warm periods and can expand during cold periods, creating
ice ages.
notes for glacier
A significant percentage of the water of the
Earth is locked up in glaciers.