pack ice
noun
a large area of floating ice formed over a period of many years and consisting of pieces of ice driven together by wind, current, etc.
Also called
ice pack.
Origin of pack ice
First recorded in 1840–50
Words nearby pack ice
pack,
pack a punch,
pack animal,
pack date,
pack drill,
pack ice,
pack in,
pack it in,
pack of lies,
pack off,
pack rat
Example sentences from the Web for pack ice
British Dictionary definitions for pack ice
pack ice
noun
a large area of floating ice, usually occurring in polar seas, consisting of separate pieces that have become massed together
Also called: ice pack
Scientific definitions for pack ice
pack ice
[ păk ]
The floating sea-ice cover of the polar regions. Driven by winds and ocean currents, pack ice is a mixture of ice fragments of varying size and age that are squeezed together and cover the sea surface with little or no open water. At maximum expansion during the winter, pack ice covers about five percent of Arctic waters and about eight percent of Antarctic waters.