frost flowers

American  

plural noun

1. ice flowers.

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Etymology

Origin of frost flowers

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

The ship, too, quickly transformed into a frozen castle, with frost flowers dangling from the railings and ropes.

From Scientific American

Under the right conditions, frost flowers form on top of the ice, a red flag that it is dangerously thin.

From The Guardian

"The sparkles visible in some segments were from the sun gilding the frost flowers that had formed on top of the new ice overnight—icing on the cake!"

From National Geographic

And frost flowers have been photographed at Haddo House and Country Park near Tarves in Aberdeenshire.

From BBC

They bear a very close resemblance to the arborescent frost flowers seen on window panes in winter, and to the stellate snow crystals.

From Project Gutenberg