noun
- Fine, needle-like crystals of ice that form in supercooled water, typically in rivers and streams during winter.
Usage: Also called frazil ice.; Technical/scientific term used in hydrology and glaciology.
Examples
- Frazil forms when water temperature drops below freezing while the water is still in motion.
- The river's surface was covered with a thin layer of frazil ice.
- Hydroelectric dams must account for frazil accumulation during winter months.
- Frazil crystals can clog intake pipes and affect water flow in cold climates.