Antarctica

American  

[ant-ahrk-ti-kuh, -ahr-ti-] / æntˈɑrk tɪ kə, -ˈɑr tɪ- /

noun

1. the continent surrounding the South Pole: almost entirely covered by an ice sheet. About 5,000,000 sq. mi. (12,950,000 sq. km).

---

Antarctica British  

/ æntˈɑːktɪkə /

noun

1. a continent around the South Pole: consists of an ice-covered plateau, 1800–3000 m (6000 ft to 10 000 ft) above sea level, and mountain ranges rising to 4500 m (15 000 ft) with some volcanic peaks; average temperatures all below freezing and human settlement is confined to research stations. All political claims to the mainland are suspended under the Antarctic Treaty of 1959

---

Antarctica Cultural  

1. Continent surrounding the South Pole, located almost entirely within the Antarctic Circle. It is covered by an ice cap up to thirteen thousand feet thick.

---

Discover More

Antarctica is characterized by extremely low temperatures.

In 1911, Roald Amundsen became the first explorer to reach the South Pole, followed shortly thereafter by Robert Scott.

Example Sentences

Byrd’s exploration laid the foundation for America’s enduring scientific presence in Antarctica.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Strategic ambiguity in Antarctica once served American interests.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

To understand how the ACC formed, Knahl and her team ran detailed climate simulations based on Earth's geography about 33.5 million years ago, when Australia and South America were positioned much closer to Antarctica.

From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026

During this period, ocean passages between Antarctica, Australia, and South America widened and deepened.

From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026

Antarctica had never even been sighted before the nineteenth century.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong