Definition of "glacial" [gla•cial]

• Of, relating to, or derived from a glacier. (adjective)
• Suggesting the extreme slowness of a glacier: Work proceeded at a glacial pace. (adjective)
• Characterized or dominated by the existence of glaciers. Used of a geologic epoch. (adjective)
• Pleistocene. See Table at geologic time. (adjective)
• Extremely cold; icy: glacial waters. See Synonyms at cold. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "I would be interested for your explanation of atmospheric gas bubbles and volcanic ash in glacial ice."
• "So while we may be seeing a gradual sea rise due to glacial melt, once the glacial is gone, things may get hot fast."
• "This may be spurious conclusion if you superimpose the jökulhlaup observation on a continuous long term glacial retreat since the end of the last ice age of the non-little variety."