Etymologically
Log in

glacies

History Permalink

Etymology and origin of the Latin word glacies

Confidence
Uncertain
First attested
116–27 BC, Varro
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin glacies
Latin glacialis

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈɡɫa.ki.eːs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈɡlaː.t͡ʃi.es][1]

Forms

glaciēs f (genitive glaciēī); fifth declension[1]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.[1][2] It ends in the noun suffix -iēs, and the first part has traditionally been compared with gelū (“frost”), from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“cold; to freeze”);[1][3][2] Etymonline takes it as probably a suffixed form of that root.[4] De Vaan, however, notes that although its meaning is the same as that of gelū, it cannot be derived from a root meaning “to be cold” in any meaningful way.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Varro.[5] It means ice.[3]

Semantic evolution

It is the ordinary word for ice: Lucretius has the sun melting ice, Virgil ice cutting tender feet, Livy slippery ice in the Alps.[6] The plural is also used, as in Virgil and the Vulgate.[6] Lucretius uses it figuratively for the hardness of bronze that melts in the fire.[6][1]

A Vulgar Latin form glacia is recorded in glosses and computistic texts;[2] Etymonline traces French glace to it, the source of English glacier (1744).[4] English glacial (1650s) comes from the adjective glaciālis.[4]

Timeline

  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it.[5][7]
  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius of ice melted by the sun.[6][7]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of slippery ice.[6][7]
  • 1744 – English glacier is recorded, through French.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Ice.[3][6][1]
  2. (figurative) Hardness.[6][1]

Word family

  • gelus
  • gelū
  • English glacier

Usage notes

Lewis & Short compare it with gelū “frost” and pruina “hoarfrost”.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  3. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de

Derived terms

Cite this entry

“Glacies.” Etymologically, 19 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/glacies. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·