ice cap

noun

1
: a cover of perennial ice and snow
specifically : a glacier forming on an extensive area of relatively level land and flowing outward from its center
2
: an ice bag shaped to the head

Examples of ice cap 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 part of Nepal’s plea for more global aid stems from concerns that extreme flooding will become more common as climbing temperatures melt ice caps in the Himalayas. Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026 At closest approach the planet swells in apparent size, revealing dark surface markings, polar ice caps and occasional dust storms. Damian Peach, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2026 Dinosaur fossils are rare to find in Antarctica because of the unforgiving ice caps. CBS News, 30 June 2026 Wildfires, floods, melting ice caps, heat waves, the bleaching of ocean reefs. Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for ice cap

Word History

First Known Use

1816, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of ice cap was in 1816

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Cite this Entry

“Ice cap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ice%20cap. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

ice cap

noun
: a large glacier forming on level land and flowing outward from its center

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