An icicle is a column of ice (ghiaccio) formed when dripping water freezes in sub-zero temperatures, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Italian word for icicle derives from the word for ice: ghiacciolo (masculine, plural: ghiaccioli).
I ghiaccioli che pendevano dalle case scintillavano come diamanti.
The icicles that hung from the houses sparkled like diamonds.
Ghiacciolo doesn’t just mean icicle – it is also the word used for popsicles or ice lollies.
Da bambino adoravo mangiare i ghiaccioli.
As a child I loved eating popsicles.
Below are a few other wintery words that are derived from the word ghiaccio:
- ghiacciaio = glacier
- ghiacciare = to freeze
- ghiacciato = frozen
- ghiacciaia = ice box, freezer
- pattini da ghiaccio = ice skates
- pattinare sul ghiaccio = ice skating
While there is no question of their beauty, ghiaccioli can also be quite dangerous (pericolosi), especially when they are very large and have a long distance to fall. In fact, it is estimated that every year in the United States, fifteen people are killed or seriously injured in incidents related to falling icicles, whereas in Russia, that number rises to 100!
Heather Broster is a graduate with honours in linguistics from the University of Western Ontario. She is an aspiring polyglot, proficient in English and Italian, as well as Japanese, Welsh, and French to varying degrees of fluency. Originally from Toronto, Heather has resided in various countries, notably Italy for a period of six years. Her primary focus lies in the fields of language acquisition, education, and bilingual instruction.
