glacial
Lemma Details
Translation: glacial; icy; freezing; extremely cold; very slow
Part of Speech: adjective
Etymology: From Latin 'glacialis', derived from 'glacies' meaning 'ice'. The English word 'glacial' shares the same Latin root, making it a direct cognate. The word evolved to describe not only things related to ice and glaciers but also metaphorically to describe extremely cold temperatures or extremely slow processes, similar to the movement of glaciers.
Commonality: 60%
Guessability: 90%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
El clima glacial de la Antártida hace imposible la vida humana sin protección.
The glacial climate of Antarctica makes human life impossible without protection.
Me dirigió una mirada glacial cuando llegué tarde.
She gave me an icy stare when I arrived late.
El proceso de negociación avanza a un ritmo glacial.
The negotiation process is moving at a glacial pace.
Las aguas glaciales del lago eran cristalinas.
The glacial waters of the lake were crystal clear.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'glacier' in English - both words share the same root and relate to ice.
- Remember 'glass' + 'icicle' = 'glacial' - glass-like ice.
- Picture a glacier moving extremely slowly to remember the 'very slow' meaning.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Cultural Context
In Spanish, 'glacial' is used both literally to refer to ice formations and metaphorically to describe extremely cold temperatures, emotionless attitudes, or very slow processes. The metaphorical usage is common in literature and formal speech.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Glacial' refers to ice or extreme cold, while 'gracial' is not a standard Spanish word (though it might be confused due to similar spelling).
Confused word:
N/A
N/A
Notes: The confusion typically comes from mispronunciation or misspelling rather than semantic confusion.
Mnemonic: 'Glacial' contains 'lac' which can remind you of a frozen lake.
Explanation: 'Glacial' means icy or extremely cold, while 'glaseado' means glazed or icing (as in cake icing).
Notes: Both words have connections to coldness but in very different contexts.
Mnemonic: 'Glaseado' relates to the glossy finish of icing, while 'glacial' relates to ice.