icicle
noun
ici·cle
ˈī-ˌsi-kəl 
1
: a pendent mass of ice formed by the freezing of dripping water
2
: an emotionally cold person
3
: a long narrow strip (as of foil) used to decorate a Christmas tree
Did you know?
Old English gicel, meaning icicle, became Middle English ikyl or ikel and later modern English ickle, which survives as a dialect word in Yorkshire, England. The word for ice in Old English is is, and in a manuscript of about the year 1000 we find Latin stiria, “icicle,” glossed, somewhat redundantly, as ises gicel, that is, “an icicle of ice.” Some 300 years later, in Middle English, this became the compound known today as icicle, which means precisely what it did 1000 years ago.
Examples of icicle in a Sentence
his wife is such an icicle you're lucky to get so much as a greeting from her
Recent Examples on the Web
The mild temperatures, the melt, and gravity conspired to destroy the back window of a car when a giant icicle came crashing through it.
—
Ross Guidotti, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
When the Niagara Falls become the Frozen Falls, icicles dangle off the edge of the cliffs and clouds of frozen mist bathe the scene in a filmy white.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026
Large Icicles Large icicles or ice buildup along your home’s eaves signal trapped, melting water that can run into your home and damage walls, ceilings, and insulation.
—Molly Burford, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
When this occurs, the snow on the roof melts and refreezes, creating icicles and ice dams on the roof and eaves.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for icicle
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Ross Guidotti, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
When the Niagara Falls become the Frozen Falls, icicles dangle off the edge of the cliffs and clouds of frozen mist bathe the scene in a filmy white.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026
Large Icicles Large icicles or ice buildup along your home’s eaves signal trapped, melting water that can run into your home and damage walls, ceilings, and insulation.
—Molly Burford, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
When this occurs, the snow on the roof melts and refreezes, creating icicles and ice dams on the roof and eaves.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for icicle
Cite this Entry
“Icicle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/icicle. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
icicle
noun
ici·cle
ˈī-ˌsik-əl
: a hanging mass of ice formed by the freezing of dripping water
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