Why are the parts of Antarctica not covered by glaciers like a desert?

The parts of Antarctica not covered by glaciers are not like a desert. Deserts are characterized by extreme dryness, with little to no precipitation. In contrast, the parts of Antarctica not covered by glaciers are cold and dry, but they do receive some precipitation. This precipitation is in the form of snow, which accumulates and compacts over time to form ice sheets. The ice sheets in Antarctica are thousands of meters thick and cover an area of approximately 14 million square kilometers.