冰雪圈（cryosphere），这个名词来自于希腊文中的κρύος(cryos)指的是"寒冷"、"霜"或是"冰"；而σφαῖρα(sphaira)指的是"球体"。冰雪圈是用来描述在地表上，水以固态形式出现的地区，包括了：海冰、湖冰、河冰、积雪、冰河、冰帽、冰盖。

The cryosphere (from the Greek κρύος kryos, "cold", "frost" or "ice" and σφαῖρα sphaira, "globe, ball") is those portions of Earth's surface where water is in solid form, including sea ice, lake ice, river ice, snow cover, glaciers, ice caps, ice sheets, and frozen ground (which includes permafrost). Thus, there is a wide overlap with the hydrosphere. The cryosphere is an integral part of the global climate system with important linkages and feedbacks generated through its influence on surface energy and moisture fluxes, clouds, precipitation, hydrology, atmospheric and oceanic circulation. Through these feedback processes, the cryosphere plays a significant role in the global climate and in climate model response to global changes. The term deglaciation describes the retreat of cryospheric features. Cryology is the study of cryospheres.