A polar ice cap is a high latitude region of a planet or natural satellite that is covered in ice. There are no requirements with respect to size or composition for a body of ice to be termed a polar ice cap, nor any geological requirement for it to be over land; only that it must be a body of solid phase matter in the polar region. This causes the term 'polar ice cap' to be something of a misnomer, as the term ice cap itself is applied with greater scrutiny as such bodies must be found over land, and possess a surface area of less than 50,000 km²: larger bodies are referred to as ice sheets.

Polare Eiskappen finden sich sowohl auf dem Planeten Erde als auch auf dem Planeten Mars.

A calota polar é uma região de latitude elevada de um planeta, centrada na região polar, que está coberta por gelo.

Полярная шапка — область на поверхности планеты, отличающаяся наличием низкой температуры обусловленной малым количеством солнечной энергии, и покрытая льдом определенного химического состава.