glacier

noun glah-SYEH Rare

Origin: From French 'glace' (ice) + suffix -ier.

Also means

ice-cream seller, ice-cream parlour

Usage Note

glacier has two distinct everyday meanings: a glacier (the mass of ice) and an ice-cream vendor or parlour (chez le glacier — at the ice-cream shop). Context always makes the meaning clear. La fonte des glaciers (the melting of glaciers) is a standard climate-change phrase.

Examples

"Ce glacier recule de plusieurs mètres par an."

Natural Translation

This glacier retreats several metres per year.

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