An iceberg's a large piece of freshwater ice that's broken off from a snow-formed glacier or ice shelf and's floating in open water. It may subsequently become frozen into pack ice or come to rest on the seabed in shallower water, causing ice scour, also known as ice gouging. Etymology The word iceberg's a partial loan translation from Dutch ijsberg, literally meaning ice mountain, cognate to Danish Isbjerg, German Eisberg, Low Saxon Iesbarg and Swedish Isberg. Icebergs are often referred to s… (More on Icebergs)