ice shelf

American  

noun

1. an ice sheet projecting into coastal waters so that the end floats.

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ice shelf British  

noun

1. a thick mass of ice that is permanently attached to the land but projects into and floats on the sea

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Etymology

Origin of ice shelf

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

"Roughly 90% of the dissolved iron coming out of the ice shelf cavity comes from deep waters and sediments outside the cavity, not from meltwater," Chinni said.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2026

The case began way back in 2002 with the extraordinary collapse of an ice shelf called Larsen B in the eastern Antarctic Peninsula.

From BBC • Nov. 3, 2025

No ice shelf setting is the same, but the researchers say their findings from the former British-Irish ice sheet could help understand how Antarctica might respond to today's rapidly warming climate.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2025

She said the satellites and aerial surveys that created Bedmap3 will allow researchers to better estimate how thick the ice is, particularly in transient zones where the grounded ice changes to a floating ice shelf.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2025

The open pools gave excellent fishing, and the upper ice shelf protected them perfectly from all enemies.

From Secret of the Woods by Long, William Joseph