What does icicle mean?
An icicle is a slender, pointed piece of ice that hangs from a roof, tree branch, cliff, or other surface. It forms when water drips from an icy surface and freezes as it falls, gradually building a narrow frozen shaft. Icicles are familiar symbols of cold winter weather and are often described as hanging from eaves, though the word can also refer to pointed ice formations more generally. They can be beautiful, especially when catching sunlight, but they may also be dangerous because they can fall or detach unexpectedly. The word is common in everyday English and is especially associated with frozen buildings, icicles on roofs, and scenes of severe wintry conditions.
nounA narrow, pointed shaft of ice hanging from a roof, branch, or other exposed surface, formed by the freezing of dripping water. An icicle may also refer to a long, pointed projection of ice more generally.
- A pointed, hanging shaft of ice formed when dripping water freezes.
- A narrow, pointed formation of ice attached to or projecting from a surface.
"Icicles glittered from the eaves after the long, cold night."
"A dangerous icicle fell from the roof as the sun began to melt the ice."
"The climber carefully chipped away the thick icicles hanging above the entrance."
The standard plural of icicle.
"Rows of icicles formed along the frozen eaves."
An icicle is a tiny frozen sculpture, but it can also be sharp enough to pierce through a glove or fall with surprising force.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does icicle come from?
The word icicle comes from ice, an Old English noun meaning frost or frozen water, combined with a diminutive element that gives the sense of a small or slender hanging piece. Its development reflects the tendency in English to form specific names for small objects associated with a larger material, as in icicle from ice. The root ice is shared with forms such as icy and iciness, and it is cognate with related words in several Germanic languages.
Related word forms
How icicle is actually used
Usually countable. The word is most commonly used for icicles hanging from roofs or trees, but it can also describe pointed ice formations on cliffs, caves, and other structures. It is generally neutral, though it sometimes evokes winter weather or hazards associated with freezing conditions.