# tip of the iceberg

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈtɪp‿əv ðiː ˈaɪsbɜːɡ/

## Definitions
1. A small indication of a larger possibility; the first part encountered of a problem that is much bigger than it seems.

## 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.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/tip-of-the-iceberg