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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Of course, not everyone agrees that swapping a glacier for a desert pool is a valid comparison. — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026 Africa’s glaciers have shrunk by more than 90% since the late 19th century. — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2026 The organisms would have to have been either blown in by the wind or left over from a time when seawater was cut off from the ocean as water levels fell and the glacier moved into place over it at some point around two million years ago. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 3 Aug. 2026 As the oceans absorb much of this excess heat, warmer seawater expands and takes up more space, while melting glaciers and ice sheets add even more water. — Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for glacier

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

Time Traveler

The first known use of glacier was in 1744

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

glaciation

glacier

Glacier Bay

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Glacier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glacier. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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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

glacier

noun

Examples of glacier in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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