Origin: Greek prefix poly-
Polynya has 2 different meanings across 1 category:
a stretch of open water surrounded by ice (especially in Arctic seas)
A naturally formed area of open water surrounded by sea ice, especially in the Arctic.
The word "polynya" was borrowed from the Russian language in the 1850s to describe an open area of water. It originally referred to something uncovered or hollow, tracing its roots back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "flat."