ice sheet

American  

noun

1. a broad, thick sheet of ice covering an extensive area for a long period of time.

2. a glacier covering a large fraction of a continent.

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ice sheet British  

noun

1. a thick layer of ice covering a large area of land for a long time, esp those in Antarctica and Greenland

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Etymology

Origin of ice sheet

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

Players release the stone down the pebbled ice sheet in such a way that it curls either clockwise or anti-clockwise so they have more control over it.

From BBC

By that time, the Army was touting the base as a cutting-edge “city under ice” for Arctic research in PR campaigns on American media, while also secretly using it as a testbed to determine whether missile tunnels under the ice sheet were feasible.

From Los Angeles Times

Project Iceworm was shelved in 1962, after it was deemed too technically difficult — the ice sheet shifts — and as the Navy and Air Force pursued less burdensome projects on Greenland.

From Los Angeles Times

Based on these findings, the researchers conclude that continued loss of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet could reduce the Southern Ocean's ability to absorb carbon dioxide as the climate warms.

From Science Daily

The findings also provide insight into how responsive the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is to rising temperatures.

From Science Daily