Meaning & use

glacier

noun·Academic

A large, slow-moving mass of ice formed from compacted snow over long periods on land.

See it in a sentence

The glacier has retreated noticeably up the valley over the past fifty years.

Climbers roped together before crossing the crevasses on the glacier.

A note on using this word

Distinguish a glacier, which forms on land, from sea ice or an iceberg, which breaks off and floats.

Words with a similar meaning

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