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meltwater

American

[melt-waw-ter, -wot-er] / ˈmɛltˌwɔ tər, -ˌwɒt ər /

noun

water from melted snow or ice.

meltwater British

/ ˈmɛltˌwɔːtə /

noun

melted snow or 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 meltwater

First recorded in 1930–35; melt ¹ + water

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.

See Examples For:

meltwater

Scientists estimate that Swiss glaciers released 2.2 trillion litres of meltwater between July and September.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

Heavy snowfall last October and November also added to a large amount of meltwater early this year.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

Scientists are examining possible warning signs, including evidence that the glacier accelerated in the weeks before the collapse, and a sudden increase in meltwater shortly beforehand.

From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026

The changes could also affect ocean circulation patterns and marine ecosystems surrounding Antarctica as meltwater enters the Southern Ocean.

From Science Daily ● May 10, 2026

Then he decided he was hot, and flapped into a pool of meltwater to cool down.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023