How to pronounce glacial
Say it like GLAY-shul. Glacial has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GLAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce glacial. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GLAY
- shul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Glacial pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GLAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of glacial
American and British speakers say glacial in essentially the same way: /ˈɡleɪʃəl/ in the US and /ˈɡleɪsɪəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: GLAY-seerl.
What does glacial mean?
- Of, or relating to glaciers.“We examined the glacial deposits.”
- Very slow.
- Cold and icy.“After the rain and frost, the pavements were glacial.”
- A glacial period (colloquially known as an ice age).
Where does glacial come from?
Borrowed from French glacial, from Latin glaciālis, from glaciēs (“ice”).
Words that rhyme with glacial
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of glacial.
Questions about saying glacial
How do you pronounce glacial?
Say GLAY-shul. The American pronunciation is /ˈɡleɪʃəl/. In British English it is /ˈɡleɪsɪəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in glacial?
Glacial has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GLAY). Broken into parts: GLAY · shul.
Do Americans and Brits say glacial the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈɡleɪʃəl/ and the British form is /ˈɡleɪsɪəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.