polyglacial

English

Etymology

From poly- +‎ glacial.

Adjective

polyglacial (not comparable)

1. Pertaining to multiple periods of glacial formation separated by warmer interglacial periods.
   • 2009, Vaclav Cilek, Earth System: History and Natural Variability, page 462:

     The polyglacial concept (that is, the existence of many glacial periods and climate cyclicity) became accepted.

   • 2012, H.-E. Reineck, I. B. Singh, Depositional Sedimentary Environments:

     Our knowledge of Pleistocene glaciation has clearly shown that an ice age is not monoglacial, but polyglacial; i.e., during a single ice age several colder glacial [times] episodes alternate with warmer interglacial [times] episodes.

   • 2014, Jamie Woodward, The Ice Age: A Very Short Introduction, page 89:

     In the period leading up to World War One, there was much debate about whether the ice age involved a single phase of ice sheet growth and freezing climate (the monoglacial theory) or several phases of ice sheet build up and decay separated by warm interglacials (the polyglacial theory).

Derived terms

• polyglacialist

Related terms

• polyglacialism