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
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.
This type of ice has formed under immense pressure over the years, contributing to the iceberg's striking appearance. Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024 Get The Recipe Honestly, that's just the tip of my holiday cooking iceberg. Josh Miller, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2024 Rostron, who helmed the passenger ship RMS Carpathia, saved 700 passengers who were stranded at sea after the Titanic struck an iceberg in the early morning hours of April 15, 1912. Marina Watts, People.com, 18 Nov. 2024 That also suggests that this was the tip of an iceberg of bruised feelings between the two of you. R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for iceberg 

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 21 Dec. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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