Glaciation
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 The process of covering with a glacier, or the state of being glaciated; the production of glacial phenomena; an ice age countable, uncountable
"That the habitability of our planet was severely endangered by the significant rise in oxygen levels and reduction in methane due to oxygen-producing bacteria combined with the low luminosity of the Sun in the Proterozoic era (2500– 542 million years ago) is suggested by geological evidence for severe global glaciations in this epoch."
- 2 the process of covering the earth with glaciers or masses of ice wordnet
- 3 A particular instance of glacier formation. countable, uncountable
"Deposits of the Caribou Hills glaciation only locally retain a distinct hummocky morainal form, with filled kettle depressions and subdued knobs. Along the mountain fronts the marginal deposits of this glaciation reach an average altitude of slightly more than 3,000 feet."
- 4 the condition of being covered with glaciers or masses of ice; the result of glacial action wordnet
- 5 The act of freezing. countable, uncountable
"For cave glaciation to occur it is necessary that the air temperature outside the caves be negative either for all or part of a year; such conditions exist in many regions of the world."
Example
More examples"During the Evans Creek glaciation of the Pleistocene epoch (22-15 thousand years ago), Winthrop Glacier extended 14 miles (22 km) north of the summit, where it merged with several small glaciers from tributary valleys north of the mountain."
Etymology
From French glaciation, from glace (“ice”).
Related phrases
More for "glaciation"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.