polynya
[ puh-lin-yuh ]
/ pəˈlɪn yə /
noun
an area of unfrozen sea water surrounded by ice.
Origin of polynya
1850–55; < Russian
polyn'yá, Old Russian
polynĭi equivalent to
pol(ŭ) empty, open +
-ynĭi noun suffix
Words nearby polynya
British Dictionary definitions for polynya
polynya
/ (ˈpɒlənˌjɑː) /
noun
a stretch of open water surrounded by ice, esp near the mouths of large rivers, in arctic seas
Word Origin for polynya
C19: from Russian, from
poly open, hollowed-out
Scientific definitions for polynya
polynya
[ pŏl′ən-yä′, pə-lĭn′yə ]
An area of open water surrounded by sea ice. A polynya can be formed by the presence of a heat source that keeps the area from freezing. A more complex process involves wind or ocean currents that carry ice away from the polynya, constantly exposing more ocean water to ice formation and resulting in the release of very salty, dense water that sinks to become part of a halocline.