glacial

/ˈɡleɪʃl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɡleɪʃl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈglā-shəl/ (ame, mw) · /ˈɡleɪ.si.əl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɡleɪ.ʃəl/ (ame, ipa)

glacial — 形容詞

  • glacialpositive
  • more glacialcomparative
  • most glacialsuperlative

1. formed by the movement and melting of a glacier — a large, slow-moving mass of i

1.形容詞B2
釋義

冰川的

由冰川作用形成的

formed by the movement and melting of a glacier — a large, slow-moving mass of ice that reshapes the land beneath it

例句

The valley was carved by glacial activity thousands of years ago.

這座峽谷是數千年前的冰川活動所切割出來的。

collocation: glacial activity

Arjun photographed the sharp glacial rocks near the edge of the melting ice.

Arjun 拍下了融化冰緣附近尖銳的冰川岩石。

attributive: glacial rocks

同義詞

文法句型

glacial + noun

用法筆記

This sense is almost always used before a noun. It appears mainly in geography, geology, and climate science contexts.

常見錯誤

❌The temperature was glacial today' (when meaning very cold, not glacier-formed).
✅The temperature was glacial today' is correct for sense 2 (extremely cold), but not for sense 1
💡sense 1 only applies to landforms, sediments, and ice features.

2. so cold that the air, water, or ground feels as if it could freeze you; extremel

2.形容詞B2
釋義

冰冷的

極度寒冷的

so cold that the air, water, or ground feels as if it could freeze you; extremely cold, like ice

例句

A glacial wind swept across the plain, forcing the team into their tents.

一陣冰冷的寒風颳過平原，迫使團隊躲進帳篷裡。

collocation: glacial wind

The mountain stream was so glacial that Manuela could not swim for long.

山間溪流冰冷刺骨，Manuela 無法游太久。

intensifier pattern: so glacial that…

同義詞
  • freezing

    everyday word; less dramatic than glacial

  • frigid

    similar formality; common in weather reports

  • arctic

    emphasises extreme, polar-like cold; often hyperbolic

  • icy

    broader meaning — can also mean slippery or covered in ice

反義詞

文法句型

glacial + noun

be + glacial

用法筆記

Stronger than cold or chilly. Often used in descriptive or literary writing about weather, wind, and water.

常見錯誤

❌I feel glacial' (as a personal feeling of cold).
✅I feel freezing' or 'I feel very cold.
💡glacial describes the environment, not how a person feels from the inside.

3. showing a complete lack of warmth or emotion in your behaviour, expression, or v

3.形容詞B2
釋義

冷峻的

態度冷淡不友善的

showing a complete lack of warmth or emotion in your behaviour, expression, or voice, making others feel unwelcome or kept at a distance

例句

Zola gave Xiu a glacial stare and walked past without a word.

Zola 冷冷地瞪了 Xiu 一眼，一句話也沒說就走了。

collocation: glacial stare

The manager's glacial tone during the meeting made everyone uncomfortable.

會議中經理冷峻的語氣令所有人感到不自在。

collocation: glacial tone

同義詞
  • icy

    very close in meaning; equally common in this figurative sense

  • frosty

    slightly less intense; suggests coolness rather than outright hostility

  • hostile

    more openly aggressive than glacial

  • cold

    general term; less vivid and less formal than glacial

反義詞
  • warm

    friendly, welcoming, and kind in manner

  • cordial

    formal but friendly and polite

  • welcoming

    makes others feel accepted and at ease

文法句型

glacial + noun

be + glacial

用法筆記

Stronger than unfriendly — it suggests a deliberate, ice-cold distance rather than mere rudeness. Often used with stare, tone, silence, glare, or reception.

常見錯誤

❌He was glacial to the new idea' (mixing sense 3 with sense 4).
✅His reaction to the new idea was glacial
💡but note this could mean either he was unfriendly about it (sense 3) or slow to respond (sense 4); clarify with context.

4. happening or moving so slowly that it seems almost to have stopped, often in a w

4.形容詞C1
釋義

極慢的

進展極其緩慢且令人失望的

happening or moving so slowly that it seems almost to have stopped, often in a way that is disappointing or frustrating

例句

The construction work moved at a glacial pace because of the constant rain.

因為連日下雨，工程以極慢的速度推進。

collocation: glacial pace

Christopher watched the traffic creep forward at a glacial speed.

Christopher 看著車流以極緩慢的速度向前移動。

collocation: glacial speed

同義詞
  • sluggish

    suggests a lack of energy; less extreme than glacial

  • creeping

    emphasises very gradual forward movement

  • leisurely

    neutral or positive — not frustratingly slow, but pleasantly unhurried; not a true synonym

反義詞
  • rapid

    very fast; the opposite of frustratingly slow

  • swift

    quick and efficient

  • brisk

    fast and energetic

文法句型

glacial + noun

be + glacial

用法筆記

Typically used to criticise speed — the slowness is presented as unreasonable or disappointing. Common with progress, pace, speed, and response. Does NOT mean 'at a steady pace'; it means 'unacceptably slow.'

5. belonging to the geological periods when large ice sheets covered vast areas of

5.形容詞C1
釋義

冰期的

屬於地球冰河時期的

belonging to the geological periods when large ice sheets covered vast areas of the Earth's surface, most recently during the Pleistocene epoch

例句

Many large mammals died out at the end of the last glacial period.

許多大型哺乳動物在上一個冰期結束時滅絕了。

collocation: glacial period

Pim studied the glacial terrain shaped by ice sheets thousands of years ago.

Pim 研究了數千年前冰層塑造出的冰期地形。

attributive: glacial terrain

同義詞
  • ice-age

    less technical; used in general writing

  • Pleistocene

    the exact geological epoch of the most recent glacial period; more technical

反義詞
  • interglacial

    the warmer period between glacial periods, such as the current Holocene

文法句型

glacial + noun

用法筆記

Almost always attributive. Commonly appears in the fixed phrase the last glacial period (also called the last Ice Age). Geologists may refer to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) as the peak of the most recent glacial period.

glacial — 名詞