cryosphere

American  

[krahy-oh-sfeer] / ˈkraɪ oʊˌsfɪər /

noun

Ecology.

1. the part of the earth’s surface where, at temperatures below 32°F (0°C), the water is frozen solid. Even a small pond while frozen over during the winter is part of the cryosphere, but cryosphere refers more often to large regions covered in snow and ice for much or all of the year, as the ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland, glaciers, icebergs, and expanses of permafrost, all of which are especially sensitive to global shifts in climate.

   Her research on the cryosphere included fieldwork at the South Pole with other climatologists.

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Etymology

Origin of cryosphere

First recorded in 1935–40; cryo- ( def. ) + -sphere ( def. )

Explanation

The parts of the earth covered with ice or snow are known as its cryosphere. The ice caps, glaciers, and permafrost are all part of the cryosphere. Cryosphere derives from Greek roots, kryos, "cold," and sphaira, "globe." Every part of the planet's surface that's covered in frozen water belongs to the cryosphere. A snow-capped mountain in Vermont is a temporary, seasonal part of the cryosphere, and so is the frozen pond in your backyard. Other parts of the cryosphere, like the Antacrctic ice sheet, have remained unthawed for millions of years.

Example Sentences

Scientists are now also exploring how it can be used to study the cryosphere, including ice shelves and sea ice.

From Science Daily • May 19, 2026

"The main contributor to the marine heatwaves around the UK is the buildup of heat in the ocean," said Dr Caroline Rowland, head of oceans, cryosphere and climate change at the Met Office.

From BBC • Aug. 10, 2025

Each study involves the cryosphere, or those regions on the planet where water freezes into ice or snow.

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2024

“I get the sense that most policymakers don’t take the goal seriously but, in the cryosphere, irreversible changes are already happening,” she said.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 19, 2023

“Things are happening quickly,” said Miriam Jackson, a cryosphere researcher at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development and one of the authors of the report.

From New York Times • Jun. 19, 2023