Meanings
nouncryoconite (countable and uncountable, plural cryoconites)
plural cryoconites
- countableuncountablegeographyDark silt accumulating mainly from airborne volcanic sediment or soot from artificial pollution, or detritus in water of ablation from ice sheets or glaciers. Cryoconite typically appears either as surface discoloration or in cryoconite holes.
In these environments the cryoconite, a wind-borne fine debris deposited on glacier surfaces, represents a potential sink for organic and inorganic pollutants because of its high content of organic matter.
2019, Condensed Matter Researches in Cryospheric Science, →ISBN
Origin
From cryo- + Ancient Greek κόνις (kónis, “dust”) + -ite.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
cryoconite. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cryoconite
MLA
“cryoconite.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cryoconite. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cryoconite,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cryoconite.
Source: cryoconite on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.