ice shelf

noun

: shelf ice
In 2002, a Rhode Island-size section of an ice shelf crumbled into the sea.Joe McGowan

Examples of ice shelf in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But their plan was sidetracked after an iceberg the size of Chicago broke away from a nearby ice shelf in Bellingshausen Sea on January 13. Ashley Balzer Vigil, Scientific American, 21 Mar. 2025 In January, an iceberg the size of Chicago broke away from a massive ice shelf in Antarctica, revealing an underwater world never before seen by humans. Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2025 That retreat has accelerated in recent decades, driven by warm ocean water circulating beneath the ice shelf. Monica Sanders, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025 The grounding line is the point where glaciers and ice shelves begin to float. Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for ice shelf

Word History

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ice shelf was in 1869

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Cite this Entry

“Ice shelf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ice%20shelf. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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