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Arctic

arc·tic

UK/ˈɑː(k).tɪk/ US/ˈɑɹ(k).tɪk/ fairly common us
noun (2) adjective (3)

noun

1.

the regions north of the Arctic Circle centered on the North Pole

Synonyms
2.

a waterproof overshoe that protects shoes from water or snow

Synonyms

adjective

1.

at or near the north pole

Synonyms
Similar
2.

of or relating to the Arctic

  • “Arctic circle”
3.

extremely cold

  • “an arctic climate”
  • “a frigid day”
  • “gelid waters of the North Atlantic”
  • “glacial winds”
  • “icy hands”
  • “polar weather”
Synonyms
Similar

Origin

From Middle English artik, artyk (with the c reintroduced after Latin in the 17th century), from Medieval Latin articus, from Latin arcticus, from Ancient Greek ἀρκτικός (arktikós, “northern, of the (Great) Bear”), from ἄρκτος (árktos, “bear, Ursa Major”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ŕ̥tḱos (“bear”). Cognate with Latin ursus.

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Word family

Broader terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.