floe
1 synonym for floe, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A floe is a flat, low mass of ice floating on the surface of the sea.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
ice floe
How to use floe
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
an ice floe
drifting floes
pack ice and floes
floes breaking up
Floe is a specialist but not especially formal word, common in writing about polar regions and sea ice.
Etymology
Floe first appeared in English in the early nineteenth century. It probably comes from the Norwegian Nynorsk word flo, meaning a layer or slab, which itself goes back to the Old Norse fló, also meaning layer.
Full origin of floe →Frequently asked questions
What is a floe?
A floe is a flat sheet of floating sea ice.
How is floe different from an iceberg?
A floe is a comparatively flat, low piece of floating sea ice, while an iceberg is a much larger chunk broken off from a glacier or ice shelf.
Is floe the same word as flow?
No, floe and flow are only homophones; they sound alike but have entirely different meanings.
