glacier

noun

gla·​cier ˈglā-shər How to pronounce glacier (audio)
also
-zhər How to pronounce glacier (audio)
 especially British  ˈgla-sē-ə,
 or  ˈglā-sē-ə
: a large body of ice moving slowly down a slope or valley or spreading outward on a land surface

Examples of glacier in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The changing environment has seen parts of Greenland’s ice sheet and glaciers replaced by wetlands, areas of shrub and barren rock. Sam Meredith, CNBC, 17 Jan. 2025 These long time capsules that are brought up from glaciers can show millions of years of climate history. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 16 Jan. 2025 In Switzerland, there are outwash plains from valley glaciers as well as from sheet ice. John McPhee, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025 And water accumulating at the base of glaciers can actually cause the ice to slide, says Ravanel, noting that this phenomenon has already wiped out mountain huts and bridges. Paul Hockenos, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for glacier 

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French dialect (Franco-Provençal), from glace ice, from Latin glacies; akin to Latin gelu frost — more at cold

First Known Use

1744, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of glacier was in 1744

Dictionary Entries Near glacier

Cite this Entry

“Glacier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glacier. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

glacier

noun
gla·​cier ˈglā-shər How to pronounce glacier (audio)
: a large body of ice moving slowly down a slope or valley or spreading outward on a land surface

More from Merriam-Webster on glacier

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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