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Glite Dictionary
Piedmont glacier

Piedmont glacier

9.3
A large mass of ice that forms when ice in valleys join and spread out at a mountain base
  • noun
  • /ˈpiːdˌmɒnt ˈɡleɪʃər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : glaciar de Piamonte
  • When several valley glaciers converge, they can form a massive Piedmont glacier at the mountain's base.

Examples

  • The Malaspina Glacier in Alaska is a classic example of a Piedmont glacier.

  • Researchers study the movement of the Piedmont glacier to understand glacial dynamics in the region.

  • The Piedmont glacier is a stunning sight in Alaska.

  • Many Piedmont glaciers can be found in the Rocky Mountains.

  • When several valley glaciers converge, they can form a massive Piedmont glacier at the mountain's base.

  • The Malaspina Glacier in Alaska is a classic example of a Piedmont glacier.

  • Researchers study the movement of the Piedmont glacier to understand glacial dynamics in the region.

Surface Forms

Piedmont glacier singular
Piedmont glaciers plural

Morphology

piedmont + glacier

The compound is directly compositional: 'piedmont' (the slope/area at the base of mountains) + 'glacier' yields a glacier located on or at the mountain base, so a learner who knows both words can infer its general meaning. The technical detail about multiple valley glaciers merging and spreading is specialised, but the core locative meaning is predictable from the constituents.

Etymology

Piedmont glacier gets its name from piedmont, meaning 'foot of the mountain', and glacier, a large flow of ice. When several valley glaciers come together and spill out onto flat ground at the mountain's base, they spread like a wide, frozen 'foot', so the name means a glacier that spreads out at the mountain's foot.