subglacial

American

[suhb-glay-shuhl] / sʌbˈgleɪ ʃəl /

adjective

beneath a glacier.

a subglacial stream.
formerly beneath a glacier.

a subglacial deposit.

subglacial British

/ sʌbˈɡleɪsɪəl /

adjective

formed or occurring at the bottom of a glacier

"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

subglacially

adverb

Etymology

Origin of subglacial

First recorded in 1810–20; sub- + glacial

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:

subglacial

The province encompasses several well-known subglacial features, including the Wilkes and Aurora basins, as well as the basin containing Lake Vostok, the largest known subglacial lake on Earth.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 4, 2026

This hidden landscape helps determine the location of subglacial basins and lakes and may affect the stability of regions of the Antarctic Ice Sheet that are particularly vulnerable to climate change.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 4, 2026

Bell is a research professor at Columbia University who has led 10 expeditions to Antarctica and Greenland in part to study deep subglacial lakes.

From Salon ● Apr. 5, 2025

While Fretwell cautioned he is not an expert in lacustrine habitats, meaning large bodies of water where life may be possible, he said Bedmap3 will help inform new studies of subglacial lakes.

From Salon ● Apr. 5, 2025

“Says the girl sitting outside in subglacial temps while the vampires are out looking for a snack with sprinkles.”

From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone

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