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REFERENCE

glacier

n.
US //ˈɡɫeɪʃɝ// UK //ɡlˈeɪʃɐ// glacier
  1. 1 river of ice (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Science

    a very large mass of ice that moves slowly down a mountain or across land.

    a large body of ice which flows under its own mass, typically moving downhill or outward from a centre of accumulation.

    Example

    The hikers walked carefully across the surface of the glacier to see the blue ice.

    Example

    Climate scientists are monitoring the rate at which the glacier is retreating, as its melting contributes significantly to rising sea levels.
    • ice field
    • ice sheet
  2. 2 slow-moving thing (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal

    something that moves or changes very slowly.

    a figurative reference to an entity, process, or person that moves at an exceptionally slow pace.

    Example

    The traffic was moving like a glacier during the morning rush hour.

    Example

    Progress on the new legislation has been moving like a glacier, with committee members debating every minor clause for weeks on end.
Origin

Borrowed from French glacier, from Franco-Provençal gllaciér, from Vulgar Latin *glaciārium, a derivative of Latin glaciēs (“ice”), of uncertain origin. First attested in English in 1744 per the OED.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related words

Last updated June 20, 2026