noun · academic
permafrost
UK/ˈpɜːməfrɒst/US/ˈpɜːrməˌfrɔːst/PER·ma·frost
ground (soil or rock) that remains permanently frozen for at least two consecutive years
Examples
“Thawing permafrost can release large amounts of methane.”
“Infrastructure built on permafrost is at risk as temperatures rise.”
“Scientists monitor permafrost depth to study climate change.”
Band 8 sentence
“Accelerated thawing of permafrost could mobilize ancient carbon stores and create a feedback loop that intensifies warming.”
Collocations
- thawing permafrost
- melting permafrost
- permafrost layer
Word family
Common mistakes
Permafrosts are melting in Siberia.→Permafrost is melting in Siberia.
The permafrosted ground supports many plants.→The permafrost ground supports few plants.
Say it for a higher band
5frozen ground→6permanently frozen ground→7+permafrost
Synonyms
permanently frozen ground
Easily confused
ice sheet
“The ice sheet covering Greenland is several kilometres thick in places.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Nature & Animals
Learn it with its set