Floe

/floʊ/ noun

Definition

A large, flat sheet of floating sea ice, typically found in Arctic and Antarctic regions.

Etymology

From Norwegian 'flo' (layer, slab), related to Old Norse 'flö.' The word entered English through Arctic exploration and whaling industry terminology.

Kelly Says

Arctic explorers couldn't describe their frozen world without borrowing this Norwegian word—'floe' specifically means the *sheet* of ice, not icebergs, and it was literally a matter of life and death to know the difference!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.