permafrost

noun

per·​ma·​frost ˈpər-mə-ˌfrȯst How to pronounce permafrost (audio)
: a permanently frozen layer at variable depth below the surface in frigid regions of a planet (such as earth)

Examples of permafrost in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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But the pace of discovery — 26 new species identified and published through the American Society for Microbiology, with more than half of all permafrost bacteria sampled turning out to be unknown — suggests this library will keep growing. Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026 More Species Are Waiting to Be Discovered So far, 52% of the bacteria researchers have encountered in permafrost tunnel samples have been new species. Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026 In northern Europe, forest gains were associated with forest management, while in Asia, gains were observed in areas of post-Soviet agricultural abandonment, as well as in larch forests near the Yakutsk permafrost zone in Russia's Eastern Siberia, according to the paper. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 10 Feb. 2026 Houses in the Arctic are built on stilts to keep the foundation from melting the permafrost, and the house from sinking. Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for permafrost

Word History

Etymology

permanent + frost

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of permafrost was in 1943

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Cite this Entry

“Permafrost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/permafrost. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

permafrost

noun
per·​ma·​frost ˈpər-mə-ˌfrȯst How to pronounce permafrost (audio)
: a permanently frozen layer at variable depth below the surface in frigid regions of a planet (as earth)

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