What does the iceberg expression mean?


THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG

Example: 'He acknowledges the Occupy Wall Street movement for exposing the inequalities in society, warning that this is just the tip of the iceberg.' The Guardian Newspaper



‘The tip of the iceberg’ means that a small part of the problem or situation is much bigger than what it seems.   The ‘tip of the iceberg’ is the part of a problem that can be easily observed, but not the rest of it, which is hidden.

Origin:  An iceberg is a very large mass of ice in the sea and often it is only possible to see a small part of it. The rest of the iceberg which is much bigger, is underneath water and cannot be seen.