glacial
pronunciation
How to pronounce glacial in British English:
UK [ˈɡleɪʃl]
How to pronounce glacial in American English:
US [ˈɡleɪʃl]
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- Adjective:
- relating to or derived from a glacier
- devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
- extremely cold
Word Origin
- glacial (adj.)
- 1650s, "cold, icy," from French glacial or directly from Latin glacialis "icy, frozen, full of ice," from glacies "ice," probably from a suffixed form of PIE root *gel- (2) "cold, to freeze" (cognates: Latin gelu "frost;" see cold (adj.)). Geological sense "pertaining to glaciers" apparently was coined in 1846 by British naturalist Edward Forbes (1815-1854). Hence figurative sense "at an extremely slow rate," as of the advance of glaciers. Related: Glacially.
Example
- 1. Imja is one of 27 glacial lakes in nepal classified as potentially dangerous .
- 2. The threat of a glacial outburst flood is not unique to imja tsho .
- 3. During this past research season the scientists recorded unprecedented lake levels caused by higher glacial runoff .
- 4. As europe grapples with glacial growth and cavernous deficits , asian states have rather different problems .
- 5. Ice age refers to the latest glacial epoch .