iceberg
[ ahys-burg ]
/ ˈaɪs bɜrg /
noun
a large floating mass of ice, detached from a glacier and carried out to sea.
Informal.
an emotionally cold person.
Australian Informal.
a person who swims or surfs regularly in winter.
Idioms for iceberg
tip of the iceberg,
the first hint or revelation of something larger or more complex: The new evidence in the case is just the tip of the iceberg.
Origin of iceberg
1765–75; half Anglicization, half adoption of Dutch
ijsberg ice mountain; cognate with German
Eisberg, Swedish
isberg
Words nearby iceberg
ice-out,
ice-scoured,
ice-skate,
ice-up,
ice.,
iceberg,
iceberg lettuce,
iceblink,
iceboat,
iceboater,
icebound
British Dictionary definitions for tip of the iceberg
iceberg
/ (ˈaɪsbɜːɡ) /
noun
a large mass of ice floating in the sea, esp a mass that has broken off a polar glacier
tip of the iceberg
the small visible part of something, esp a problem or difficulty, that is much larger
slang, mainly US
a person considered to have a cold or reserved manner
Word Origin for iceberg
C18: probably part translation of Middle Dutch
ijsberg ice mountain; compare Norwegian
isberg
Scientific definitions for tip of the iceberg
iceberg
[ īs′bûrg′ ]
A massive body of floating ice that has broken away from a glacier or ice field. Most of an iceberg lies underwater, but because ice is not as dense as water, about one ninth of it remains above the surface.
Cultural definitions for tip of the iceberg (1 of 2)
tip of the iceberg
Only a hint or suggestion of a much larger or more complex issue or problem: “The money missing from petty cash was only the tip of the iceberg of financial mismanagement.” This phrase alludes to the fact that the bulk of a floating iceberg is concealed beneath the water, leaving only a small portion, its tip, visible above.
Cultural definitions for tip of the iceberg (2 of 2)
iceberg
A large piece of ice that has broken away from a glacier at the shore and floated out to sea.
notes for iceberg
Most of the ice in an iceberg is underwater, leaving only the “tip of the iceberg” visible — a fact that is often alluded to in discussions of subjects in which the most important aspects are hidden from view.
Idioms and Phrases with tip of the iceberg
tip of the iceberg
Superficial evidence of a much larger problem, as in Laying off a hundred workers is only the tip of the iceberg. This idiom alludes to the structure of an iceberg, most of whose bulk lies underwater. [Mid-1900s]