icefall

American  

[ahys-fawl] / ˈaɪsˌfɔl /

noun

1. a jumbled mass of ice in a glacier.

2. a mass of ice overhanging a precipice.

3. a falling of ice from a glacier, iceberg, etc.

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icefall British  

/ ˈaɪsˌfɔːl /

noun

1. a very steep part of a glacier that has deep crevasses and resembles a frozen waterfall

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Etymology

Origin of icefall

First recorded in 1810–20; ice + fall

Example Sentences

Ang Sarki Sherpa, who has worked as an icefall doctor for years, said he expected the serac to melt because its lower part was weak.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

Because the only way to get back to base camp was via that icefall, Whittaker chose to stay above it on the mountain for five steady weeks as more camps were established up Everest.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

“With the backdrop of the icefall and the glaciers, hearing avalanches in the distance, you have this really powerful moment — and you’re also deprived of a lot of oxygen,” he said.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 5, 2023

Three Sherpa climbers died in an avalanche in the Khumbu icefall on April 12.

From Washington Times • May 2, 2023

Although I’d never been in an icefall as frightening as the Khumbu, I’d climbed many other icefalls.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer