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Synonyms

ice field

American  

noun

  1. a large sheet of floating ice, larger than an ice floe.


ice field British  

noun

  1. a very large flat expanse of ice floating in the sea; large ice floe

  2. a large mass of ice permanently covering an extensive area of land

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

ice field Scientific  
  1. A large expanse of ice covering a mountainous region and consisting of several interconnected glaciers.

  2. An extensive area of ice on the surface of the ocean, consisting of multiple ice floes and covering an area that is greater than 10 km (6.2 mi) across.


Etymology

Origin of ice field

First recorded in 1685–95

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

We flew into skies choked with smoke from the Canadian wildfires—I couldn’t escape the fires after all—and over glaciers and an ice field that are in the process of disappearing.

From Slate • Aug. 9, 2024

In Alaska, researchers estimate algae accounts for almost one-fifth of the annual melt across a large ice field.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 21, 2023

It’s the cycle of athletic life on the court, ice, field or pitch.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2023

Scientists search an ice field in Antarctica for meteorites.

From Science Magazine • Jan. 25, 2023

Their first night on the ice field, they built a small, hot fire in the lee of the sledge, and boiled water for their first hot drinks since morning.

From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo