Arctic
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: arctic
Contents
English[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle French artique (with -c- reintroduced after Latin in the 17th century), from Latin arcticus, from Ancient Greek ἀρκτικός (arktikós, “northern, of the (Great) Bear”), from ἄρκτος (árktos, “bear, Ursa Major”).
Pronunciation[edit]
Adjective[edit]
Arctic (not comparable)
- (astronomy, now only in compounds) Pertaining to the celestial north pole, or to the pole star. [from 14th c.]
- (geography) Pertaining to the northern polar region of the planet, characterised by extreme cold and an icy landscape. [from 16th c.]
- Extremely cold, snowy, or having other properties of extreme winter associated with the Arctic. [from 16th c.]
- 1979, John Le Carré, Smiley's People, Folio Society 2010, p. 45:
- ‘Could you close that window, please!’ Strickland called, dialling again. ‘It's bloody arctic down this end.’
- 1979, John Le Carré, Smiley's People, Folio Society 2010, p. 45:
- Designed for use in very cold conditions. [from 19th c.]
Translations[edit]
Pertaining to the northern polar region of the planet
cold, snowy, or having other properties of extreme winter associated with the Arctic
Proper noun[edit]
Arctic
- (obsolete) The north celestial pole. [15th-17th c.]
- (geography) The region of the Earth above the Arctic Circle, containing the North Pole. [from 17th c.]
Translations[edit]
a region of the Earth
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Derived terms[edit]
Noun[edit]
Arctic (plural Arctics)
- (US, now chiefly historical) A warm waterproof overshoe. [from 19th c.]
- Any of various butterflies of the genus Oeneis. [from 20th c.]
Usage notes[edit]
- Like Antarctic, this word was originally pronounced without /k/, but the spelling pronunciation has become the more common one. The "c" was originally added to the spelling for etymological reasons, and its pronunciation returned thereafter.
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