iceberg

noun

ice·​berg ˈīs-ˌbərg How to pronounce iceberg (audio)
1
: a large floating mass of ice detached from a glacier
2
: an emotionally cold person
3

Examples of iceberg in a Sentence

a brilliant doctor, no doubt, but both patients and staff complain that he is an iceberg
Recent Examples on the Web That could have huge consequences for the world A sample of each iceberg is tested in a lab to make sure there are no microorganisms or bacteria. Laura Paddison, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 Located on the country’s south coast, the black volcanic sand beach is famous for the thousands of icebergs that travel here from the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon that resembles large diamonds peppered along the seashores. Laura Hampson, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Feb. 2024 And such examples are but the tip of a multi-billion-dollar lobbying iceberg. Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 2024 The study analyzed satellite images to track retreat and found that the breakup of icebergs has accelerated in Greenland and that previous analyses might have underrated its influence. Evan Bush, NBC News, 17 Jan. 2024 Glaciers expanded; certain pathogens spread more readily; and icebergs floated to regions that had not seen them since the last glacial period (popularly called the Ice Age), which ended more than 11,500 years ago, before the birth of civilization. Tim Brinkhof, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Jan. 2024 Surrounded by mountain peaks and drifting icebergs, guests can lie in the warm water and enjoy the magnificent natural surroundings — an experience for both body and soul. Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 9 Jan. 2024 The question asked in a 2008 poster by the Taiwanese artists Yen-Chang Cheng and Hung-Yu Chen is no less harrowing: A baby polar bear sits atop the body of a dead adult, as if floating on an iceberg. Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 Wedge etiquette 1 head iceberg lettuce To prepare wedge: Hold head of iceberg, core-side down. Mary G. Pepitone, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'iceberg.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

probably partial translation of Danish or Norwegian isberg, from is ice + berg mountain

First Known Use

1784, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of iceberg was in 1784

Dictionary Entries Near iceberg

Cite this Entry

“Iceberg.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/iceberg. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

iceberg

noun
ice·​berg ˈīs-ˌbərg How to pronounce iceberg (audio)
: a large floating mass of ice detached from a glacier

More from Merriam-Webster on iceberg

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