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 filmmakers actually flew a plane over the Earnslaw Burn, a valley and glacier near Glenorchy, and Mount Earnslaw. — Emily Zemler, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Sep. 2026

When the lead satellite passes over something big — for example, a glacier — the object’s gravity pulls the lead satellite faster, creating a larger, measurable gap between it and the follower satellite. — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026

The disaster is believed to have originated with a glacier located in Lāṅṭāṇ National Park, just north of the capital of Kathmandu. — Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 24 Sep. 2026

Initial analysis suggests global warming exacerbated the melting of the glacier that snapped off in August, triggering flash floods. — Mamita Bhandari, NPR, 23 Sep. 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