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ice water

American  

noun

  1. water chilled with or as if with ice.

  2. melted ice.


ice water British  

noun

  1. water formed from ice

  2. Also called: iced water.  drinking water cooled by refrigeration or the addition of ice

"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

Etymology

Origin of ice water

First recorded in 1715–25

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.

He sips small amounts of ice water because drinking too much is akin to licking one’s lips, causing them to chap.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

If you've ever hovered over a sink debating whether to dunk your face into a bowl of ice water, you're not alone.

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026

The hidden image became clear only after the film was placed in ice water or gradually heated.

From Science Daily • Feb. 6, 2026

“As a quarterback you have to take what they give you — and Jaylin did that,” said Gerard, whose players doused him with ice water after the awards ceremony.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 23, 2025

“Well, you better drink this cup of ice water, Little Girl. Every last drop.”

From "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia

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