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

See Examples For:

ice sheet

To address these questions, the team evaluated how predictable sea level rise was across a range of ice sheet model projections during this relatively near-term period.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 23, 2026

First, colder ocean temperatures during ice ages reduced melting beneath portions of the Antarctic ice sheet that extend below sea level.

From Science Daily ● May 29, 2026

Researchers say the findings are important not only for improving climate and ice sheet models, but also for coastal planning and adaptation efforts around the world that rely on accurate sea level rise projections.

From Science Daily ● May 10, 2026

Their chemical signatures reveal when the surface was last exposed to sunlight, helping pinpoint past periods when the ice sheet disappeared.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 18, 2026

During the last ice age it experienced what geologists call a periglacial climate—a zone at the edge of an ice sheet characterized by frequent freeze-thaw cycles that fractured the rock.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson