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Icebreaker
WordNet
noun
(1) A beginning that relaxes a tense or formal atmosphere
"He told jokes as an icebreaker"
(2) A ship with a reinforced bow to break up ice and keep channels open for navigation
WiktionaryText
Noun
- A ship designed to break through ice so that it, or other ships coming behind, can navigate on frozen seas.
- The steel hulls of ice-breakers are much thicker than those of standard vessels.
- 2005: My father's Bonneville was cutting its way toward us like an icebreaker moving through my whole state of consciousness. — Martin Torgoff, Can't Find My Way Home (Simon & Schuster 2005, p. 11)
- The steel hulls of ice-breakers are much thicker than those of standard vessels.
- A game, activity, humourous anecdote, etc., designed to relax a group of people to help them get to know each other.
- The new college hallmates were awkward with each other at first, but after a game of charades as an icebreaker, they were laughing like old friends.