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polynya or polynia - n., an area of open water in surrounded by sea ice.
Which means, yes, open sea water, but that would be slightly redundant wording. Happens mainly in polar regions, natch. The first spelling is used in the US, the second in the UK; I'm not sure which is used in the rest of the Commonwealth. From Russian полынья (polyn'ya), from polyĭ, open, hollow.
---L.
Which means, yes, open sea water, but that would be slightly redundant wording. Happens mainly in polar regions, natch. The first spelling is used in the US, the second in the UK; I'm not sure which is used in the rest of the Commonwealth. From Russian полынья (polyn'ya), from polyĭ, open, hollow.
---L.
