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Icy vs Glacial - What's the difference?

icy | glacial |

As adjectives the difference between icy and glacial

is that icy is pertaining to, resembling, or abounding in ice; cold; frosty while glacial is of, or relating to glaciers.

icy

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Pertaining to, resembling, or abounding in ice; cold; frosty.
  • Covered with ice, wholly or partially.
  • Characterized by coldness, as of manner, influence, etc.; chilling; frigid; cold.

    • Related terms

    * icily * iciness

    References

    * * ----

    glacial

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • of, or relating to glaciers
  • * We examined the glacial deposits
  • (figuratively) very slow
  • * 2010 , "Under the volcano", The Economist , 16 Oct 2010:
    • Progress on judicial reform has been glacial , meeting enormous resistance.
  • cold and icy
  • * After the rain and frost, the pavements were glacial
  • having the appearance of ice
  • * On cold days, glacial acetic acid will freeze in the bottle
  • cool and unfriendly
  • * He gave me a glacial stare

    • Derived terms

    * englacial * interglacial * monoglacial * postglacial * preglacial * proglacial * subglacial * supraglacial ----