glacier

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noun gla·cier \ˈglā-shər also -zhər, especially British ˈgla-sē-ər or ˈglā-sē-\

Definition of glacier

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

See glacier defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of glacier from the Web

Such an event, which happened around the end of the last ice age when glaciers were in retreat, could put methane into the air, scientists think.

— dino grandoni, Washington Post, "The Energy 202: Trump's Paris speech needs a serious fact check", 2 June 2017
Experts say the country recognized its financial interests were being harmed by climate change in demonstrable ways, from rainfall patterns and altered river flows to melting glaciers.

— christopher cadelago, sacbee, "Is Jerry Brown taking Trump’s place on world climate stage?", 1 June 2017
The ecosystem makes a full sweep from alpine wetlands through grasslands and steppes to alpine meadows and snowy mountains and glaciers.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Three Incredible Natural Areas Nominated for the World Heritage List", 1 June 2017
Instead, the park is on track to lose its glaciers within a generation.

— the new york times, NOLA.com, "See 50 years of melting ice in Glacier National Park", 30 May 2017
Kevin Bacher, the public-information officer for the national park, said the woman was part of a three-member party that had climbed the glacier Saturday morning.

— mike carter, The Seattle Times, "Injured climber plucked from crevasse on Emmons Glacier", 28 May 2017
If the weather cooperates, the 13-year-old Naperville girl and her father, Rodney Westlake, will be standing on a glacier Sunday preparing to ascend to the top of Denali.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "Naperville girl, 13, pursues record mountain climb in Alaska", 25 May 2017
Between the administration's budget, and its lubricious impulse to monetize everything, if the glaciers disappear, the naming rights to Exxon-Mobil National Park and Energy Terminal will bring in millions.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "In Which the Pope Expertly Trolls Trump on Climate Change", 24 May 2017
There have been sporadic floods related to the eruption as the glacier melts from the heat from the new fissure –

— erik klemetti, WIRED, "Threat of Icelandic ash closes airspace over Europe", 15 Apr. 2010

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'glacier'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.