English Reference
Noun

iceman

n. countable
C1 Advanced US /ˈaɪsmæn/ UK /ˈaɪsmən/ ice·man

n.a person who is very calm and does not show any emotions. You use this to describe someone who stays cool and collected even when things get stressful.

n.a person who remains exceptionally calm and composed, showing no visible signs of emotion or stress. Informal in register; often used in competitive or high-pressure environments.


SIMPLE

He is a total iceman who never gets nervous.

CONTEXTUAL

During the high-stakes poker tournament, he remained an iceman, never letting his opponents see his reaction to the cards.

COMPLEX

The veteran negotiator was known as an iceman for his ability to de-escalate volatile situations without ever raising his voice or showing a hint of frustration.

More than 5,000 years after his death, Ötzi the Iceman is still hosting a remarkable mix of ancient and modern microorganisms.

ScienceDaily· 7 Aug 2026

From ice + -man.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated