A vocabulary of landscape — a landscape of words
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frazil ice
The initial oily film of crystals on the sea surface — the first visible sign that the ocean is freezing. Frazil looks like grease floating on soup. It is the beginning of everything that follows: nilas, pancake ice, pack ice, polar cap.
Etymology
French: frasil (cinders, clinker), from French-Canadian usage describing ice crystals in rivers. The resemblance is to fine ash on water.