permafrost

noun

per·​ma·​frost ˈpər-mə-ˌfrȯst How to pronounce permafrost (audio)
: a permanently frozen layer at variable depth below the surface in frigid regions of a planet (such as earth)

Examples of permafrost in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Generally, the top layer of this permafrost thaws out in the heat of summer, then freezes again in the winter. Matt Simon, WIRED, 4 Mar. 2024 Severe drought could fuel wildfires in the Amazon, while sky-high temperatures might speed the loss of glaciers and permafrost in Alaska. Justine Calma, The Verge, 29 Feb. 2024 Alaska is warming even faster than the Lower 48, and thawing permafrost there is changing ecosystems dramatically. Laura Helmuth, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2024 That could accelerate the thawing of Arctic permafrost, releasing both carbon dioxide and methane—yet another climate-warming feedback loop. Matt Simon, WIRED, 29 Nov. 2023 The tool will allow communities living on Arctic permafrost to plan adequately for residents' safety and enable policymakers to make better decisions on the kinds of goals that countries should implement to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, Liljedahl said. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 26 July 2023 Zimov collects data on the depth of the permafrost to measure how much is disappearing in villages above the Arctic Circle. Ruby Mellen, Washington Post, 3 Jan. 2024 But, just a year later, a group of British scientists successfully re-grew a moss specimen taken from deep below the permafrost on Signy Island in Antarctica. Gabe Allen, Discover Magazine, 27 Dec. 2023 Several houses—prefab wood structures built on short stilts—are cracking as the land sinks and gets eroded, weakened by the melting of sea ice above and permafrost thaw below. Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 19 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'permafrost.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

permanent + frost

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of permafrost was in 1943

Dictionary Entries Near permafrost

Cite this Entry

“Permafrost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/permafrost. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

permafrost

noun
per·​ma·​frost ˈpər-mə-ˌfrȯst How to pronounce permafrost (audio)
: a permanently frozen layer at variable depth below the surface in frigid regions of a planet (as earth)

More from Merriam-Webster on permafrost

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