circumpolar

American  

[sur-kuhm-poh-ler] / ˌsɜr kəmˈpoʊ lər /

adjective

1. around or near a pole, as of the earth.

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circumpolar British  

/ ˌsɜːkəmˈpəʊlə /

adjective

1. (of a star or constellation) visible above the horizon at all times at a specified locality on the earth's surface

2. surrounding or located at or near either of the earth's poles

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circumpolar Scientific  

/ sûr′kəm-pō′lər /

1. Located or found in one of Earth's polar regions.

2. Denoting a star that from a given observer's latitude does not go below the horizon during its diurnal motion. The closer an observer is to one of the poles, the greater the portion of the sky that contains circumpolar stars. At the pole itself, all stars are circumpolar.

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Etymology

Origin of circumpolar

First recorded in 1680–90; circum- + polar

Example Sentences

"The new study proves that this circumpolar current is not what caused the Antarctic glaciation but the consequence of the ice formation."

From Science Daily • Feb. 5, 2024

It occurs in winter north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle, which are circumpolar lines at latitude 66.6 degrees North and South respectively.

From National Geographic • Feb. 1, 2024

That might have been in 1984, but according to his website he remains the only man alive ever to have travelled around the Earth’s circumpolar surface.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 26, 2022

“We remain convinced of the enduring value of the Arctic Council for circumpolar cooperation and reiterate our support for this institution and its work,” the seven nations said in a joint statement released March 3.

From Scientific American • Mar. 14, 2022

The constellations that seemed unceasingly to speed across the sky were named “the never-resting ones,” and the circumpolar stars, which never sink beneath the horizon, were known as “the imperishables.”

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 1 "Edwardes" to "Ehrenbreitstein" by Various