glaciate

American

[gley-shee-eyt, -see-] / ˈgleɪ ʃiˌeɪt, -si- /

verb (used with object)

glaciated, glaciating

to cover with ice or glaciers.
to affect by glacial action.

verb (used without object)

glaciated, glaciating

to become frozen or covered with ice or glaciers.

glaciate British

/ ˈɡleɪsɪˌeɪt /

verb

to cover or become covered with glaciers or masses of ice
(tr) to subject to the effects of glaciers, such as denudation and erosion

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

glaciation noun
unglaciated adjective

Etymology

Origin of glaciate

1615–25; < Latin glaciātus (past participle of glaciāre to freeze), equivalent to glaci ( ēs ) ice + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Around him, candles burn in the frigid breeze and flowers glaciate at their stems.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023