Meaning & use
glaciation
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
The process by which land is covered by glaciers or ice sheets, or the state of being covered by ice.
Grammar: Uncountable: glaciation, not a glaciation, when meaning the process.
Patterns
- glaciation of an area
- during glaciation
The valley was shaped by glaciation over thousands of years.
Evidence of glaciation can be seen in the polished rocks.
Glaciation in the last ice age changed the landscape dramatically.
nouncountable
A period when large areas of the Earth were covered by ice.
Grammar: Countable: a glaciation, several glaciations.
Patterns
- a period of glaciation
- major glaciations
Scientists study the glaciations of the Pleistocene epoch.
The region experienced several glaciations.
Word forms
| plural | glaciations |
|---|
Common combinations
- continental glaciation
- Continental glaciation covered much of northern Europe.
- evidence of glaciation
- The scratches on the bedrock are evidence of glaciation.
- period of glaciation
- We are currently in a period of glaciation.
- glaciation event
- The glaciation event lasted millions of years.
Synonyms and how they differ
- glaciation
- No common exact synonym; 'ice age' is broader and refers to a whole period.
Word family
- glacier noun
- A large mass of ice that moves slowly.
- glacial adjective
- Relating to glaciers or ice.
- glaciate verb
- To cover with ice or glaciers (rare).
Commonly confused: glaciation or glacier?
glaciation vs glacier
A glacier is the ice mass itself; glaciation is the process or period of being covered by ice.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'glaciation' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Glaciation' is the process of being covered by ice, so 'formed by glaciation' fits. The other options treat it as a physical object, a verb, or a rock type.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “glaciation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.