glacier

noun

gla·​cier ˈglā-shər 

also

-zhər 

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

The study, recently published in the journal Microbiome, centers on Ötzi the Iceman, a mummy found by a tourist inside a glacier in the Alps in 1991, news agency SWNS reported. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026

Situated in western Canada’s Alberta province, a tapestry of the Rocky Mountains serves as the backdrop across this wild frontier of limestone giants and ancient glaciers. — Kristin Braswell, USA Today, 22 June 2026

Scenic Plus service includes regional food and wine, while additional tours feature Milford Sound, glaciers, native forests, and cultural experiences. — Steve Madgwick, Travel + Leisure, 18 June 2026

This remarkable region is a veritable oasis left untouched when glaciers flattened much of the area about 12,000 years ago. — Kelsey Yandura, Midwest Living, 17 June 2026

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

Kids Definition

glacier

noun

gla·​cier ˈglā-shər 

: a large body of ice moving slowly down a slope or valley or spreading outward on a land surface