frazil
/ˈfɹæ.zəl/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 1.23 in modern English
18
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
1
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A collection of stray ice crystals that form in fast-moving water.
Canadian usage; American usage; Countable; Uncountable
noun
Alternative form of farasola.
Example Sentences
- "It has been suggested that it may be due to the accumulation of frazil or anchor-ice."
- "The greater the surface of the swift open water, the greater the quantity of frazil made in a minute, hour, or day. Every open rapid is, in ‘zero weather’, a frazil-factory."
- "Following currents that flow across the Bering and Chukchi shelves, microplastics from the Pacific that arrive in Arctic waters are gathered up by the tiny crystals that clump together to form ‘frazil’ (the gloss of soft ice that forms on the surface of the water) and then are bound into the sea ice."
Etymology
From Canadian French frasil, frazil, fraisil, from French fraisil (“coal cinders”), from Old French faisil.
Origin
- Source language: French
Word Breakdown
- Root: frasil, fraisil, faisil
Usage
- Canadian usage
- American usage
- Countable
- Uncountable