Dictionary

tip of the iceberg en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈtɪp‿əv ðiː ˈaɪsbɜːɡ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈtɪp‿əv ði ˈaɪsbɝɡ/ (General-American)
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From the fact that floating icebergs typically have about nine-tenths of their volume below the surface of the water. Early 20th-century uses of the term are believed to have been influenced by the sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic on April 15, 1912 after it struck an iceberg.

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) A small indication of a larger possibility; the first part encountered of a problem that is much bigger than it seems.
   • All human beings have secret, hidden, below-the-surface dimensions as well as outer, visible, and clear demonstrations. [...] Although it is not possible to see the hidden it is very possible to see the smallest units, the micro-signs, the tips of the icebergs in people, and then to make some small hunches or theories about risk. 2004, Vali Hawkins Mitchell, “Rotations: What is Spinning?”, in Philip Jan Rothstein, editor, Emotional Terrors in the Workplace: Protecting Your Business’ Bottom Line: Emotional Continuity Management in the Workplace, Brookfield, Conn.: Rothstein Associates, →ISBN, page 48:
   • It is sufficient that the former provided the setting for implanting in the minds of the jury the notion that Sinhel had engaged in other related crimes and making that notion explicit with regard to the defendant by the "tip of the iceberg" argument. In short, the prosecutor insinuated Sinhel had been given many gifts and gratuities for an illegal purpose, probably from the defendant, beyond those for which the defendant was charged and beyond those for which proof was offered at the trial. The prejudice of a defendant of inviting conviction on facts—if they be such—dehors the record is counter to the basic concept of fairness. 1968 July 18, [Harrison Lee] Winter, Circuit Judge, “[Appendix A] United States of America, Appellee, versus Bernard D. Grossman, Apellant”, in Bernard D. Grossman, Petitioner, v. United States of America, Respondent: Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, [Richmond, Va.]: United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, page 8a:
   • Records document nineteen legal cases involving the charge of sodomy and five executions from 1607 to 1740, although this is no doubt just the tip of the iceberg of actual incidents. Even the minimal evidence we do have suggests that ordinary people, in contrast to the ministers and legislators, did not always harshly judge people accused of same-sex sexuality. 1999, Leila J. Rupp, “In the Beginning: Same-sex Sexuality in Early America”, in A Desired Past: A Short History of Same-sex Love in America, Chicago, Ill.; London: University of Chicago Press, →ISBN, page 30:
   • The blacking out of the lights of the nation's biggest city could be a blessing in disguise. It brought to light, dramatically, the deep unrest in a large part of the Black and Latin population and it emphasized the fact that something must be done and soon to quiet that unrest. And it may be that the current unrest is just the tip of the iceberg. 1977 September, “The Tip of the Iceberg”, in John H[arold] Johnson, editor, Ebony, volume XXXII, number 11, Chicago, Ill.: Johnson Publishing Co., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 132, column 2:
   • The number of dishonest scientists cannot, of course, be known, but even if they were common enough to justify scary talk of ‘tips of icebergs’ they have not been so numerous as to prevent science’s having become the most successful enterprise (in terms of the fulfilment of declared ambitions) that human beings have ever engaged upon. 1996, Peter Medawar, “Scientific Fraud”, in The Strange Case of the Spotted Mice: And Other Classic Essays on Science, Oxford, Oxfordshire; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 196:
   • The exposed tip of the iceberg, the recognized illness that brings a man to his doctor, is relatively small compared with the hidden mass of undetected disease, or 'at risk' people, in the population. 1970, J. K. Brierley, “The Iceberg of Disease”, in Biology and the Social Crisis: A Social Biology for Everyman, 1st American edition, Rutherford, N.J.: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press; Cranbury, N.J.: Associated University Presses, →ISBN, page 117:
   • Sats don't reflect the bigger picture; rather the tip of an iceberg in the only subjects that politicians think matter. 2014 September 23, “a teacher”, “Choosing a primary school: A teacher’s guide for parents”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 25 Mar 2019:
   • [O]nly a tiny portion of disagreements—the proverbial tip of the iceberg—ever ends up in court. Most agreements drop out along the way, either because they are settled or because the allegedly wronged party decides that the potential costs of proceeding outweigh the potential benefits 2001, Kathryn Hendley, “Beyond the Tip of the Iceberg: Business Disputes in Russia”, in Peter Murrell, editor, Assessing the Value of Law in Transition Economies, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Press, →ISBN, page 20:
   • This is only the tip of the iceberg. Our time together can become much more exciting.
   • This collection is not even the tip of the human remains iceberg, according to Damien Huffer, an adjunct research professor at Carleton University in Canada. Collectors across the world have much larger collections than JonsBones, he said, and the trade far predates TikTok. 2021 October 10, Caroline Anders, “A TikTok bone salesman’s wall of spines reignites ethical debate over selling human remains”, in The Washington Post:

Forms

Deriveds

tip of the ice cube

Relateds

drop in the ocean · cockroach theory · scratch the surface

Translations (47)

da toppen av isbjerget (small indication of a larger possibility) · de Spitze des Eisbergs (small indication of a larger possibility) · he קצה הקרחון (small indication of a larger possibility) · es punta del iceberg (small indication of a larger possibility) · es solo el inicio (small indication of a larger possibility) · af punt van die ysberg (small indication of a larger possibility) · ko 빙산의 일각 (small indication of a larger possibility) · oc poncha de l'iceberg (small indication of a larger possibility) · el κορυφή του παγόβουνου (small indication of a larger possibility) · cmn 冰山一角 (small indication of a larger possibility) · et jäämäe tipp (small indication of a larger possibility) · pt ponta do icebergue (small indication of a larger possibility) · is toppur á ísjakanum (small indication of a larger possibility) · ca punta de l'iceberg (small indication of a larger possibility) · oc partida emergida de l'iceberg (small indication of a larger possibility) · fr sommet de l'iceberg (small indication of a larger possibility) · gl punta do iceberg (small indication of a larger possibility) · sk špička ľadovca (small indication of a larger possibility) · sh вр̏х ле̏дено̄г бре̑га (small indication of a larger possibility) · sh вр̏х ле̏дено̄г брије̑га (small indication of a larger possibility) · sv toppen av isberget (small indication of a larger possibility) · pl wierzchołek góry lodowej (small indication of a larger possibility) · cs špička ledovce (small indication of a larger possibility) · gd cìrean na tuile (small indication of a larger possibility) · nb toppen av isfjellet (small indication of a larger possibility) · cy crib y rhewfryn (small indication of a larger possibility) · pt superfície (small indication of a larger possibility) · sv toppen av ett isberg (small indication of a larger possibility) · oc debuta (small indication of a larger possibility) · fi jäävuoren huippu (small indication of a larger possibility) · ru верху́шка а́йсберга (small indication of a larger possibility) · fr partie émergée de l'iceberg (small indication of a larger possibility) · tr buz dağının görünen kısmı (small indication of a larger possibility) · nn toppen av isfjellet (small indication of a larger possibility) · ja 氷山の一角 (small indication of a larger possibility) · af oortjies van die seekoei (small indication of a larger possibility) · sh vȑh lȅdenōg brijȇga (small indication of a larger possibility) · nl topje van de ijsberg (small indication of a larger possibility) · uk верхі́вка а́йсберга (small indication of a larger possibility) · it punta dell'iceberg (small indication of a larger possibility) · sl vrh ledene gore (small indication of a larger possibility) · fr partie visible de l'iceberg (small indication of a larger possibility) · hu a jéghegy csúcsa (small indication of a larger possibility) · oc punta de l'iceberg (small indication of a larger possibility) · bg връ́х на а́йсберга (small indication of a larger possibility) · sh vȑh lȅdenōg brȇga (small indication of a larger possibility) · tr turpun büyüğü heybede (small indication of a larger possibility)