Adjacent Words

Glacial definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

GLA'CIAL, a. [L. glacialis, from glacies,ice.]
Icy; consisting of ice; frozen.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: relating to or derived from a glacier; "glacial deposit"
2: devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain; "a frigid greeting"; "got a frosty reception"; "a frozen look on their faces"; "a glacial handshake"; "icy stare"; "wintry smile" [syn: frigid, frosty, frozen, glacial, icy, wintry]
3: extremely cold; "an arctic climate"; "a frigid day"; "gelid waters of the North Atlantic"; "glacial winds"; "icy hands"; "polar weather" [syn: arctic, frigid, gelid, glacial, icy, polar]

Merriam Webster's

adjective Etymology: Latin glacialis, from glacies Date: 1656 1. suggestive of ice: as a. extremely cold ; frigid <a glacial wind> b. devoid of warmth and cordiality <a glacial handshake> c. coldly imperturbable <maintained a glacial calm> 2. of a purity marked by the tendency to readily solidify in the form of ice-like crystals <glacial acetic acid> 3. a. (1) of, relating to, or being any of those parts of geologic time from Precambrian onward when a much larger portion of the earth was covered by glaciers than at present (2) capitalized Pleistocene b. of, relating to, or produced by glaciers c. suggestive of the very slow movement of glaciers <progress on the bill has been glacial> • glacially adverb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 of ice; icy. 2 Geol. characterized or produced by the presence or agency of ice. 3 Chem. forming icelike crystals upon freezing (glacial acetic acid). Phrases and idioms: glacial epoch (or period) a period when ice-sheets were exceptionally extensive. Derivatives: glacially adv. Etymology: F glacial or L glacialis icy f. glacies ice

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Glacial Gla"cial, a. [L. glacialis, from glacies ice: cf. F. glacial.] 1. Pertaining to ice or to its action; consisting of ice; frozen; icy; esp., pertaining to glaciers; as, glacial phenomena. --Lyell. 2. (Chem.) Resembling ice; having the appearance and consistency of ice; -- said of certain solid compounds; as, glacial phosphoric or acetic acids. Glacial acid (Chem.), an acid of such strength or purity as to crystallize at an ordinary temperature, in an icelike form; as acetic or carbolic acid. Glacial drift (Geol.), earth and rocks which have been transported by moving ice, land ice, or icebergs; bowlder drift. Glacial epoch or period (Geol.), a period during which the climate of the modern temperate regions was polar, and ice covered large portions of the northern hemisphere to the mountain tops. Glacial theory or hypothesis. (Geol.) See Glacier theory, under Glacier.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Glacial Gla"cial, a. [L. glacialis, from glacies ice: cf. F. glacial.] 1. Pertaining to ice or to its action; consisting of ice; frozen; icy; esp., pertaining to glaciers; as, glacial phenomena. --Lyell. 2. (Chem.) Resembling ice; having the appearance and consistency of ice; -- said of certain solid compounds; as, glacial phosphoric or acetic acids. Glacial acid (Chem.), an acid of such strength or purity as to crystallize at an ordinary temperature, in an icelike form; as acetic or carbolic acid. Glacial drift (Geol.), earth and rocks which have been transported by moving ice, land ice, or icebergs; bowlder drift. Glacial epoch or period (Geol.), a period during which the climate of the modern temperate regions was polar, and ice covered large portions of the northern hemisphere to the mountain tops. Glacial theory or hypothesis. (Geol.) See Glacier theory, under Glacier.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Glacial Gla"cial, a. [L. glacialis, from glacies ice: cf. F. glacial.] 1. Pertaining to ice or to its action; consisting of ice; frozen; icy; esp., pertaining to glaciers; as, glacial phenomena. --Lyell. 2. (Chem.) Resembling ice; having the appearance and consistency of ice; -- said of certain solid compounds; as, glacial phosphoric or acetic acids. Glacial acid (Chem.), an acid of such strength or purity as to crystallize at an ordinary temperature, in an icelike form; as acetic or carbolic acid. Glacial drift (Geol.), earth and rocks which have been transported by moving ice, land ice, or icebergs; bowlder drift. Glacial epoch or period (Geol.), a period during which the climate of the modern temperate regions was polar, and ice covered large portions of the northern hemisphere to the mountain tops. Glacial theory or hypothesis. (Geol.) See Glacier theory, under Glacier.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. Glacial means relating to or produced by glaciers or ice. (TECHNICAL) ...a true glacial landscape with U-shaped valleys. ADJ: usu ADJ n 2. If you say that a person, action, or atmosphere is glacial, you mean that they are very unfriendly or hostile. Inside the jeep the atmosphere was glacial. = frosty, icy ADJ [disapproval] 3. If you say that something moves or changes at a glacial pace, you are emphasizing that it moves or changes very slowly. ADJ: usu ADJ n [emphasis] 4. If you describe someone, usually a woman, as glacial, you mean they are very beautiful and elegant, but do not show their feelings. Her glacial beauty is magnetic. ADJ: usu ADJ n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Icy, frozen, consisting of ice, icy-looking. 2. Of glaciers, pertaining to glaciers.

Moby Thesaurus

Siberian, algid, aloof, arctic, below zero, biting, bitter, bitterly cold, blast-frozen, bleak, boreal, brisk, brumal, chill, chilly, cold, cold as charity, cold as death, cold as ice, cold as marble, congealed, cool, crisp, cutting, distant, emotionless, exclusive, freezing, freezing cold, frigid, frostbitten, frostnipped, frosty, frozen, frozen solid, gelid, hibernal, hiemal, hyperborean, ice, ice-cold, ice-encrusted, icelike, icy, icy-cold, inaccessible, inclement, indifferent, keen, nipping, nippy, numbing, penetrating, piercing, pinching, quick-frozen, raw, remote, reserved, rigorous, seclusive, severe, sharp, sharp-frozen, sleety, slushy, snappy, standoffish, stone-cold, subzero, supercooled, unapproachable, unemotional, winterbound, winterlike, wintery, wintry, withdrawn