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• Arctic
  Arctic

  adjective

  Sometimes arctic of, relating to, or located at or near the North Pole.
• arctic
  arctic

  adjective

  of or relating to the Arctic

Arctic

American  

[ahrk-tik, ahr-tik] / ˈɑrk tɪk, ˈɑr tɪk /

adjective

1. Sometimes arctic of, relating to, or located at or near the North Pole.

   the Arctic region.

2. Sometimes arctic coming from the North Pole or the Arctic region.

   an Arctic wind.

3. Often arctic suitable for use in the Arctic.

   Arctic boots.

4. Usually arctic characteristic of the extremely cold, snowy, windy weather north of the Arctic Circle; frigid; bleak.

   an arctic winter.

5. arctic, extremely cold in manner, atmosphere, etc..

   a look of arctic disdain.

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noun

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

2. arctics, warm, waterproof overshoes.

arctic ¹ British  

/ ˈɑːktɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to the Arctic

   arctic temperatures

2. informal cold; freezing

   the weather at Christmas was arctic

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noun

1. a high waterproof overshoe with buckles

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

   arctic clothing

Arctic ² British  

/ ˈɑːktɪk /

noun

1. the regions north of the Arctic Circle

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adjective

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

Arctic Cultural  

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

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Discover More

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

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.

Other Word Forms

• subarctic
  adjective
• arctically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of Arctic

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

Explanation

If the weatherman warns of arctic conditions, get out your thermal underwear, hats, and gloves. It's going to be cold. The word arctic describes frigid and inhospitable weather. The word arctic refers to the Arctic Circle — the North Pole and the land that surrounds it — which is the northernmost major circle of latitude on the Earth. When you think of the word arctic, imagine the weather at the North Pole, cold and windy, suitable only for hearty animals and mythical toy-making elves. Bundle up for the arctic blast heading down from Canada towards the U.S.!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Arctic arctic

"While large, tabular icebergs are relatively common in the Southern Ocean that surrounds the Antarctic Ice Sheet, Arctic ice islands are far rarer," explains Dr. Anna Crawford of the University of Stirling.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026

Their work is part of a broader effort to better understand the processes responsible for the calving and retreat of Arctic ice shelves.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026

Its surface area is roughly comparable to Manhattan Island, giving scientists a rare opportunity to observe how enormous Arctic ice masses develop, move through the ocean and eventually fragment.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026

While working as a guide with Arctic Wildlife Tours, Rikardsen rigged an underwater camera with a motion sensor beneath a seal's breathing hole, and then waited.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

Dressed in a tailcoat and white bow tie, he ate heartily and spoke at length with Robert Peary, the Arctic explorer who was credited with being the first to reach the North Pole.

From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple

With grandma’s nest egg and mom and dad’s retirement tied up in a young couple’s first home, even a slight chill in property valuations causes an arctic frost on consumer sentiment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

Dips in the jet stream will allow arctic air to spread across the UK by the end of the UK.

From BBC ● Mar. 9, 2026

In the area with cold plunging and a sauna, the walls undulate with patterns that change color, designed to evoke arctic caves and volcanic rock.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2026

It was also the biggest one-week percentage jump on record, driven by an arctic blast that brought dangerous cold, heavy snow and ice and disrupted travel in much of the central and eastern U.S..

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 26, 2026

Charlie wasn’t waiting by the door, and I was shocked by a blast of arctic air when I walked outside in nothing but shorts and a tank top.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson