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ice-free

American  
[ahys-free, -free] / ˈaɪsˈfri, -ˌfri /

adjective

  1. free of ice.

  2. (of a harbor or other body of water) free at all times of the year of any ice that would impede navigation.


Etymology

Origin of ice-free

First recorded in 1890–95; ice + -free

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.

Noting that its waters are ice-free thanks to the Gulf Stream, the Norwegian consultancy Rystad Energy has, for example, suggested excluding the Barents Sea from the EU's definition of the Arctic.

From Barron's • Mar. 14, 2026

Only 20% of Greenland is ice-free, the Center for Strategic & International Studies said in a report published earlier this month.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

A second sits near the seasonal edge of the ice in September, and the third was consistently ice-covered in 1980 but now experiences periodic ice-free conditions.

From Science Daily • Nov. 13, 2025

“It means that when these glaciers die off, we will be the first humans to see ice-free peaks in Yosemite,” said Andrew Jones, a researcher at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, who led the study.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 1, 2025

Imagine, Martin said, that an original group of a hundred hunters crossed over Beringia and down the ice-free corridor.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann