icebreaker
|ice-break-er|
🇺🇸
/ˈaɪsˌbreɪkər/
🇬🇧
/ˈaɪsˌbreɪkə/
tension reliever
Etymology
'icebreaker' originates from the combination of 'ice' and 'breaker', where 'ice' refers to frozen water and 'breaker' refers to something that breaks or shatters.
'icebreaker' was first used in the 19th century to describe ships that break through ice.
Initially, it referred to ships breaking ice, but over time it evolved to include activities or things that break social tension.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a ship designed for breaking a channel through ice.
The icebreaker cleared a path for the cargo ships.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a thing that serves to relieve inhibitions or tension between people, or start a conversation.
The game was a great icebreaker at the party.
Synonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:41