icicle

[ahy-si-kuhl]

noun

1. a pendent, tapering mass of ice formed by the freezing of dripping water.

2. a thin strip of paper, plastic, or foil, usually silvery, for hanging on a Christmas tree as decoration.

3. a cold, unemotional person.

icicle

/ ˈaɪsɪkəl /

noun

1. a hanging spike of ice formed by the freezing of dripping water

Other Word Forms

• icicled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of icicle¹

before 1000; Middle English isikel, Old English īsgicel, equivalent to īs ice + gicel icicle; akin to Old Norse jǫkul mass of ice, glacier

Word History and Origins

Origin of icicle¹

C14: from _ice + ickel, from Old English gicel icicle, related to Old Norse jökull large piece of ice, glacier

Example Sentences

Drops will continue to run down the icicle, freezing at the end, to give the icicle its distinctive shape.

Read more on BBC

The icicles crawl farther up my legs, around my waist, my chest, then up to my neck, binding me tightly.

Read more on Literature

The wind tore wildly around the world, whipping up the snow in mountainous drifts, breaking frozen branches off trees, sending icicles clattering to the glassy ground.

Read more on Literature

Climbers began to haul themselves up frozen waterfalls and dangling icicles, carving out a discipline separate from mountaineering.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Blades of grass hardened into icicles as snow fell and temperatures dropped in Houston, Texas.

Read more on Seattle Times