interglacial

noun

in·​ter·​gla·​cial ˌin-tər-ˈglā-shəl 

: a warm period between glacial epochs

interglacial adjective

Examples of interglacial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For the preceding two and a half million years, through the Pleistocene Epoch, the planet’s climate fluctuated between frozen stretches, called glacials, and warm interglacials. —Zach St. George, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024

From the left, these are the early Eocene Epoch; the mid-Pliocene; the last interglacial, or LIG; the mid-Holocene; the pre-industrial period; the historical period; and projections for the future (at extreme right). —Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 14 Dec. 2018

But if the dating proves correct, such an attribution is unlikely, as the sediments just above and below the impressions date to a period called the last interglacial, when the climate in the region was relatively warm and wet. —Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Sep. 2020

But in the warm periods between ice ages, known as interglacials, scientists assume the Atlantic circulation is stable. —Paul Voosen, Science | AAAS, 26 Mar. 2020

Not all the difference in temperature between interglacials and ice ages was because of carbon dioxide. —The Economist, 21 Sep. 2019

Today’s level is 1.45 times higher than that of a typical interglacial. —The Economist, 21 Sep. 2019

Just like home Those ratios line up with climate models that suggest a wetter, more hospitable environment in Arabia, courtesy of a shift in Africa’s monsoons during periods of warmer global climate called interglacials. —Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, 29 Oct. 2018

To begin with, there are far more signs of life during the interglacials, indicating that the area was probably covered by sea ice during glacial periods; sediments were much siltier during these times. —John Timmer, Ars Technica, 20 Sep. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for interglacial

• craniofacial
• interfacial
• interracial
• multiracial
• orofacial
• periglacial
• bifacial
• biracial
• palatial
• postglacial
• preglacial
• subglacial

Kids Definition

interglacial

1 of 2 adjective

in·​ter·​gla·​cial

ˌint-ər-ˈglā-shəl

: occurring or relating to the time between glaciations

interglacial

2 of 2 noun

: a period of time of warm climate between glaciations