Arctic

[ ahrk-tik or, especially for 7, ahr-tik ]
See synonyms for Arctic on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. Sometimes arc·tic . of, relating to, or located at or near the North Pole: the Arctic region.

  2. Sometimes arc·tic . coming from the North Pole or the Arctic region: an Arctic wind.

  1. Often arc·tic . suitable for use in the Arctic: Arctic boots.

  2. Usually arc·tic . characteristic of the extremely cold, snowy, windy weather north of the Arctic Circle; frigid; bleak: an arctic winter.

  3. arctic, extremely cold in manner, atmosphere, etc.: a look of arctic disdain.

noun
  1. the Arc·tic, the region lying north of the Arctic Circle or of the northernmost limit of tree growth; the polar area north of the timberline.

  2. arc·tics, warm, waterproof overshoes.

Origin of Arctic

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin arcticus, from Greek arktikós “northern,” literally, “of the Bear,” equivalent to árkt(os), “bear” (see Ursa Major) + -ikos -ic; replacing Middle English artik, from Middle French artique, from Latin

Other words from Arctic

  • arc·ti·cal·ly, adverb
  • sub·arc·tic, adjective

Words that may be confused with Arctic

Words Nearby Arctic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Arctic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for arctic (1 of 2)

arctic

/ (ˈɑːktɪk) /


adjective
  1. of or relating to the Arctic: arctic temperatures

  2. informal cold; freezing: the weather at Christmas was arctic

noun
  1. US a high waterproof overshoe with buckles

  2. (modifier) designed or suitable for conditions of extreme cold: arctic clothing

Origin of arctic

1
C14: from Latin arcticus, from Greek arktikos northern, literally: pertaining to (the constellation of) the Bear, from arktos bear

British Dictionary definitions for Arctic (2 of 2)

Arctic

/ (ˈɑːktɪk) /


noun
  1. the Arctic or Arctic Zone the regions north of the Arctic Circle

adjective
  1. of or relating to the regions north of the Arctic Circle

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for Arctic

Arctic

Region in the northernmost area of the Earth, centered on the North Pole.

Notes for Arctic

The weather of the Arctic is characterized by long, cold winters and short, cool summers.

Notes for Arctic

The Arctic has been the object of much exploration by air, land, and sea. The shortest distance by plane between continents in the Northern Hemisphere is often over the Arctic.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.