glacier
GLAY-sher
ˈɡleɪʃər
A slowly moving mass or river of ice formed from the accumulation and compaction of snow on mountains or near the poles.
It's a large, persistent body of ice that moves under its own weight.
The story behind the word. The word "glacier" comes from the French word "glace," meaning "ice." This root itself traces back to Latin "glacies," also meaning ice. So, a glacier is quite simply a massive body of ice. The term entered English in the late 18th century, as naturalists began to study these colossal, slow-moving rivers of frozen water that sculpt landscapes.
Word relationships
- ice sheet: A vast, continuous body of glacial ice covering an extensive area, typically continental.
- ice cap: A smaller, dome-shaped perennial cover of ice and snow.
Commonly confused with
- iceberg: A glacier is a mass of ice on land that moves, while an iceberg is a large piece of freshwater ice that has broken off a glacier or ice shelf and is floating freely in open water.
Word family
- glacial (adjective): Relating to or derived from glaciers; extremely cold.
Collocations
- retreating glacier
- alpine glacier
- continental glacier
- valley glacier
- meltwater glacier
Example sentences
- "Scientists are concerned about the rapid melting of glaciers worldwide." Climate change report.
- "The valley was carved by an ancient glacier, leaving behind U-shaped walls." Describing a landscape.
Memory hook
'GLAY-sher' sounds like 'glass-share,' imagine sharing a giant glass of frozen water that's slowly moving. Moving ice
When not to use
Don't confuse with an iceberg (which is a piece of glacier ice broken off and floating in water) or simply a snowfield.
Fun facts
- Glaciers store about 69% of the world's freshwater.
Explore more words
avalanche, polar, landslide, sedimentary, permafrost, deposit
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.