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

There are plenty of other sites—waterfalls, glaciers, and semi-hidden hot springs—but another must-visit is Kerling, an 82-foot volcanic rock formation jutting out between a handful of hillsides. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 June 2026

Patagonia is a diverse region in southern Chile and Argentina, with glaciers, mountains and fjords to the west, stretching into steppe and desert toward the east. —Brittany Peterson, Fortune, 12 June 2026

Within the park there are lakes, glaciers, miles of hiking trails, an extensive cavern system and some of the oldest trees on Earth. —Alia Beard Rau, USA Today, 10 June 2026

Massive volcanic mudflows generated when eruptions melt the volcano’s extensive glaciers. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 9 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