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

These glaciers provide essential water for rivers, supplying drinking water downstream, maintaining cold-water habitats for salmon and supporting hydropower generation in the region, according to the National Park Service. —Daniel Peck, ABC News, 25 Nov. 2025

The only other humans who had settled on that side of Greenland were five hundred miles to the south, separated by impassable mountains and glaciers. —Ben Taub, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025

Every year, thousands attempt to reach the summit, and many come here to train in glacier mountaineering skills with guide services like Alpine Ascents International. —Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 24 Nov. 2025

Not only do shoppers feel like they’re perched on a glacier, the film also serves to showcase the brand’s pinnacle product — available for sale in the store — in action. —Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 21 Nov. 2025

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