冰段（stadial），或称作副冰期、冰阶，是指间冰期内部一段低温时期。这段时期的时长或温度不足以认定为冰期。著名的冰段有老仙女木期，新仙女木期以及从16世纪持续到19世纪的小冰期。

间冰段（interstadial）是指冰期内一段温暖时期，其时长与温度不足以认定为间冰期。一般说来，间冰段持续数千年，而间冰期持续超过万年。末次冰期中，博林振荡与阿勒罗德振荡是最末的两次间冰段。

格陵兰的冰芯钻探表明，过去十万年的末次冰期共有24个间冰段。这一现象称作但斯贾德-欧希格事件。

Stadials and interstadials are phases dividing the Quaternary period, the last 2.6 million years. Stadial are colder periods and interstadials are warmer. Each phase has a Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) number, working backwards from the present, with stadial having even numbers and interstadials odd numbers. Thus the current Holocene is MIS1 and the most recent ice age is MIS2. Stages are divided into warmer and colder intervals. MIS 5e (the Eemian), the hottest of the last million years, was the oldest interstadial of MIS5, with MIS3 and MIS1 being interstadials and MIS2 and MIS4 being colder stadials. In glacials a and c are stadials and b and d are warmer interstadials. Thus MIS 6a, 6c and 6e are stadials and 6b and 6d are interstadials.