adj
Uncommon
glacial
GLAY-seerl
Glacial (adj) means relating to glaciers or ice ages. Example: “The valley was carved by glacial movement thousands of years ago.”
adj
1
Relating to glaciers or ice ages.
"The valley was carved by glacial movement thousands of years ago."
2
Extremely slow, like the movement of a glacier.
"Progress on the project has been glacial."
3
Very cold, or (of a manner) cold and unfriendly.
"She gave him a glacial stare across the room."
How to use glacial
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRelating to glaciers or ice — or, by extension, extremely slow or icily unfriendly.
Common pairings
glacial pace
glacial period
glacial stare
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Word forms
- Plural
- glacials
- Comparative
- more glacial
- Superlative
- most glacial
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The valley was carved by _____ movement thousands of years ago.
Etymology
From French glacial, from Latin glacialis, from glacies ("ice").
Related words
Rhymes for glacial
See all rhymes for glacial →Frequently asked questions
What does “glacial” mean?
The word “glacial” means relating to glaciers or ice ages. In plain terms, relating to glaciers or ice — or, by extension, extremely slow or icily unfriendly.
How do you pronounce “glacial”?
“Glacial” is pronounced GLAY-seerl (/ˈɡleɪ.sɪəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “glacial” in a sentence?
Here is “glacial” used in a sentence: “The valley was carved by glacial movement thousands of years ago.”
What part of speech is “glacial”?
“Glacial” is an adjective.
Where does the word “glacial” come from?
The word “glacial” comes from Latin. From French glacial, from Latin glacialis, from glacies ("ice").
Is “glacial” a common word?
“Glacial” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “glacial” have?
“Glacial” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to glaciers or ice ages.
