Glacialis

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. The term pertaining to icy regions or surfaces characterized by the presence of glaciers
2. Descriptive of environments dominated by ice, relating to the activity or effects of glacial formations
3. Associated with the natural world where temperatures and conditions favor the sustenance of ice bodies, particularly in polar climates

Etymology: "Glacialis" is the Latin adjective meaning "icy" or "of ice," formed from "glacies," "ice," which is the source of the English word "glacier." The suffix "-alis" simply turns the noun into an adjective meaning "pertaining to," so "glacialis" describes anything connected with ice. English took the word in its adjectival form, "glacial," which first appeared in the sense of relating to ice and cold. Geologists later used it to describe the era when vast ice sheets covered large parts of the Earth, giving us the "glacial period." The adjective also carries a figurative sense, as in a "glacial stare," where coldness of manner is compared to the chill of ice.

Synonyms: glacial, icy, frosty, frozen, frigid

Antonyms: tropical, warm, hot, temperate, balmy