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glacial

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(glā′s̸həl; chiefly Brit, -sē əl)

adjective

of or like ice or glaciers
of or produced by a glacier or a glacial epoch or period
freezing; frigid: glacial weather
cold and unfriendly: a glacial stare
as slow as the movement of a glacier: glacial progress
Chem. having an icelike, crystalline appearance

Origin: L glacialis, icy, frozen < glacies, ice < IE *glag-, partial redupl. of base *gel-, to freeze > cold

Related Forms:

glacially adverb

See glacial in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective

a. Of, relating to, or derived from a glacier.
b. Suggesting the extreme slowness of a glacier: Work proceeded at a glacial pace.
a. often Glacial Characterized or dominated by the existence of glaciers. Used of a geologic epoch.
b. Pleistocene. See Table at geologic time.
Extremely cold; icy: glacial waters. See Synonyms at cold.
Having the appearance of ice.
a. Lacking warmth and friendliness: a glacial stare.
b. Coldly detached: a glacial composure.

Origin:

Origin: French

Origin: from Old French, icy

Origin: , from Latin glaciālis

Origin: , from glaciēs, ice; see gel- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

glaˈcial·ly adverb

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