water ice

noun

1. ice formed by direct freezing of fresh or salt water, and not by compacting of snow.
2. a frozen dessert, similar to sherbet, made of water, sweetener, and fruit syrup or other flavorings.

water ice

noun

1. an ice cream made from a frozen sugar syrup flavoured with fruit juice or purée; sorbet

Word History and Origins

Origin of water ice¹

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

If it was in our skies, it would shine five times brighter because the water ice would reflect much more sunlight.

From BBC

And at the Moon’s poles, she says, there’s even more - reserves of water ice are frozen inside permanently shadowed craters.

From BBC

One such casualty: an international project called Ice Mapper, which aimed to chart out water ice on Mars.

From Salon

The source of these molecules is thought to be water ice on Europa's surface.

From Science Daily

Some of those craters in that region remain in perpetual shadow, and are a particular area of interest because water ice has been detected in them.

From New York Times

About This Word

What does water ice mean?

Water ice is a frozen dessert, very similar to Italian ice, made in Philadelphia.

How is water ice pronounced?

[ waw-ter ahys ]

Where does water ice come from?

Italian ice is the name of an Italian frozen dessert, like a sorbet or snow cone, made from water and fruit.

The Philadelphia version of this dessert goes back to the late 19th century when the city experienced a large influx of Italian immigrants. These new arrivals began selling Italian ice to the locals.

In 1945, John’s Water Ice opened to sell the dessert. The establishment makes no claim to the name water ice. It also listed the item on the menu without explanation, suggesting water ice had already become a local name for the food.

How is water ice used in real life?

Water ice is a Philadelphia regionalism, most commonly used by residents of the area and people who live near it, including New Jersey and Delaware.

I go to a family party in Jersey and bring quarts of water ice as a South Philly peace offering.

— Gi (@Gi_xx_) August 13, 2016

it’s that time of year for the best philly regional delicacy that’s right baby, water ice

— jesse (@_jorts_) May 4, 2018

Happy #FactFriday! Did you know that Pennsylvania is home of the cheesesteak sandwich, water ice, soft pretzels and TastyKakes? Yum!🧀🥩🥨 https://t.co/hmRguYytqG pic.twitter.com/4vV8gXxm8j

— Woodmont Ridge (@WoodmontRidge) October 12, 2018

More examples of water ice:

“Philadelphia may be best known for its greasy cheesesteaks and technicolored water ice, but there’s so much more to eat in the City of Brotherly Love.”
—Regan Stephens, Eater, September 2018

Note

This content is not meant to be a formal definition of this term. Rather, it is an informal summary that seeks to provide supplemental information and context important to know or keep in mind about the term’s history, meaning, and usage.