How to pronounce glacier
Say it like GLAY-sher. Glacier 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 glacier. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GLAY
- sher
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Glacier 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.
- sherKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of glacier
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: GLAS-yuh.
What does glacier mean?
- a slowly moving mass of ice
Where does glacier come from?
Borrowed from French glacier, from Franco-Provençal gllaciér, from Vulgar Latin *glaciārium, a derivative of Latin glaciēs (“ice”), of uncertain origin.
Words that rhyme with glacier
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of glacier.
Questions about saying glacier
How do you pronounce glacier?
Say GLAY-sher. The American pronunciation is /ˈɡleɪʃɚ/. In British English it is /ˈɡlæsjə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in glacier?
Glacier has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GLAY). Broken into parts: GLAY · sher.
Is glacier pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈɡlæsjə/ (GLAS-yuh).