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

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

Far beneath the surface of the Greenland ice sheet, scientists have identified enormous swirling structures that resemble rising plumes.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026

Eight men sliding 16 stones down an ice sheet to the soundtrack of clunking granite, furious sweeping and hollered commands of "hard" and "curl".

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026

Surveying and mining under such a thick ice sheet is impossible, according to experts, leaving large areas of the territory unexplored.

From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026

The edge of the ice sheet was particularly steep where she had fallen, but just below her, it banked at a shallower angle.

From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo