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glaciology

American  
[gley-shee-ol-uh-jee, -see-] / ˌgleɪ ʃiˈɒl ə dʒi, -si- /

noun

  1. the branch of geology that deals with the nature, distribution, and action of glaciers and with their effect on the earth's topography.


glaciology British  
/ ˌɡlæsɪˈɒlədʒɪ, ˌɡlæsɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl, ˌɡleɪ-, ˌɡleɪ- /

noun

  1. the study of the distribution, character, and effects of glaciers

"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

Etymology

Origin of glaciology

First recorded in 1890–95; glaci(er) + -o- + -logy

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.

See Examples For:

Regine Hock, professor of glaciology at the University of Oslo, has been visiting the Alps since the 1970s.

From BBC Oct. 4, 2025

"It may likely not be as hot as 2023 — because that was an El Nino event, which has now died down," said Imperial College London glaciology professor Martin Siegert.

From Salon May 24, 2024

“The glue isn’t there anymore,” says Antonella Senese, a glaciology and climate science researcher at the University of Milan in Italy.

From Scientific American Apr. 3, 2023

“By mid-June, it was really, really kind of shocking,” said Egli, who received his PhD in glaciology from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland this summer.

From Washington Post Aug. 18, 2022

The many glaciers occurring in the Alps of central Europe where glaciology arose doubtless suggested this explanation.

From Climatic Changes Their Nature and Causes by Ellsworth Huntington

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