ice shelf

noun

1. an ice sheet projecting into coastal waters so that the end floats.

ice shelf

noun

1. a thick mass of ice that is permanently attached to the land but projects into and floats on the sea

Word History and Origins

Origin of ice shelf¹

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

Mr Gregory captured a group of fledgling emperor penguin chicks teetering on the edge of an ice shelf.

Read more on BBC

But if ice shelves are lost, the glaciers behind can speed up, depositing more and more ice into the ocean and raising sea levels worldwide.

Read more on BBC

She said the satellites and aerial surveys that created Bedmap3 will allow researchers to better estimate how thick the ice is, particularly in transient zones where the grounded ice changes to a floating ice shelf.

Read more on Salon

In May a huge iceberg broke off from an Antarctic ice shelf, drifted, and came to a stop - right in front of “maybe the world’s unluckiest” penguins.

Read more on BBC

It also protects the exposed edges of the ice shelves from waves, curbing Antarctica's contribution to sea level rise.

Read more on Science Daily