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

Although researchers have known about this shift for decades, exactly how Antarctica's ice sheet responded has remained uncertain.

From Science Daily • May 29, 2026

Researchers say the findings are important not only for improving climate and ice sheet models, but also for coastal planning and adaptation efforts around the world that rely on accurate sea level rise projections.

From Science Daily • May 10, 2026

Their chemical signatures reveal when the surface was last exposed to sunlight, helping pinpoint past periods when the ice sheet disappeared.

From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026

Deep within Greenland's vast ice sheet, scientists have uncovered an unusual chemical signal that has sparked years of debate.

From Science Daily • Mar. 20, 2026

Recall that Siberia has always been cold, and that a continuous ice sheet stretched as an impassable barrier across the whole width of Canada during much of the Pleistocene Ice Ages.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond