iceberg

[ ahys-burg ]

/ ˈaɪs bɜrg /

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See synonyms for: iceberg / icebergs on Thesaurus.com

Definition of iceberg

noun

a large floating mass of ice, detached from a glacier and carried out to sea.

Informal. an emotionally cold person.

Australian Informal. a person who swims or surfs regularly in winter.

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about iceberg

tip of the iceberg, the first hint or revelation of something larger or more complex: The new evidence in the case is just the tip of the iceberg.

Origin of iceberg

1765–75; half Anglicization, half adoption of Dutch ijsberg ice mountain; cognate with German Eisberg,Swedish isberg

Words nearby iceberg

ice ax, ice axe, ice bag, ice barrier, ice beer, iceberg, iceberg lettuce, Ice Blacks, iceblink, ice block, ice blue

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use iceberg in a sentence

Researchers tend to catch the severest cases — the tip of the iceberg — and that doesn’t necessarily give you a full picture of what’s going on.
How coronavirus variants may drive reinfection and shape vaccination efforts|Erin Garcia de Jesus|February 5, 2021|Science News
Looking at the number of reported cases is the next best option, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The Hard Lessons of Modeling the Coronavirus Pandemic|Jordana Cepelewicz|January 28, 2021|Quanta Magazine
When it comes to the question of whether to have a baby, affordable, high-quality child care is just the tip of the iceberg.
This country is a risky place to be a parent, and the pandemic reminded me of that|Haley Swenson|January 14, 2021|Washington Post
Our right to live in a healthy environment will be threatened, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The Paris climate pact is 5 years old. 5 youth activists share their hopes for what’s next.|Jariel Arvin|December 11, 2020|Vox

The world’s biggest iceberg, the size of Delaware and Rhode Island, is breaking up and drifting out the Southern Ocean.
Eighty years of memories that will stir readers’ own|Connie Schultz|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
In Russia, Uganda, and elsewhere around the world, legal change is the tip of the iceberg.
The Uganda Ruling is Good For Everyone But Gays|Jay Michaelson|August 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The recent botched executions are just the tip of the iceberg.
Why the Death Penalty Needs to Die|Nick Gillespie|July 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The logic here was a little unsound—if I remember the S.S. Titanic story, “Iceberg” would have been the right name.
Portrait of the Consummate Con Man|John Lardner|May 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Confusion over the catcher's eye black is just the tip of the iceberg for this befuddled limey.
Viral Video of the Day: Bad British MLB Commentary|Alex Chancey, Ben Teitelbaum|May 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As far as cash-grabs go, the VIP pass is only the tip of the iceberg.
Coachella, Oasis For Douchebags and Trust Fund Babies, Should Be Avoided At All Costs|Marlow Stern|April 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
During these fourteen days we saw very few whales or albatrosses, and not one iceberg.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer
She was an iceberg,—a beautiful kill-joy,—a wet blanket of charming texture.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 17, No. 101, March, 1866|Various
Greatly agitated, she approached her instructor, when Mr. Read walked in;—a cynical iceberg!
Alone|Marion Harland
An iceberg may be defined as a detached portion of a polar glacier carried out to sea.
Loss of the Steamship 'Titanic'|British Government
“The fishermen of my country can feel the chill of an iceberg through the fog and the night,” she said at last.
The Flockmaster of Poison Creek|George W. Ogden

British Dictionary definitions for iceberg

iceberg

/ (ˈaɪsbɜːɡ) /

noun

a large mass of ice floating in the sea, esp a mass that has broken off a polar glacier

tip of the iceberg the small visible part of something, esp a problem or difficulty, that is much larger

slang, mainly US a person considered to have a cold or reserved manner

Word Origin for iceberg

C18: probably part translation of Middle Dutch ijsberg ice mountain; compare Norwegian isberg

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

Scientific definitions for iceberg

iceberg

[ īs′bûrg′ ]

A massive body of floating ice that has broken away from a glacier or ice field. Most of an iceberg lies underwater, but because ice is not as dense as water, about one ninth of it remains above the surface.

Cultural definitions for iceberg

iceberg

A large piece of ice that has broken away from a glacier at the shore and floated out to sea.

notes for iceberg

Most of the ice in an iceberg is underwater, leaving only the “tip of the iceberg” visible — a fact that is often alluded to in discussions of subjects in which the most important aspects are hidden from view.

iceberg

Definition of iceberg

Idioms about iceberg

Origin of iceberg

Words nearby iceberg

Words related to iceberg

How to use iceberg in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for iceberg

Word Origin for iceberg

Scientific definitions for iceberg

Cultural definitions for iceberg

notes for iceberg