North Pole

American  

noun

1. Geography. the end of the earth's axis of rotation, marking the northernmost point on the earth.

2. Astronomy. the point at which the extended axis of the earth cuts the northern half of the celestial sphere, about 1° from the North Star; the north celestial pole.

3. (lowercase) the pole of a magnet that seeks the earth's north magnetic pole.

4. (lowercase) magnetic pole1

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North Pole British  

noun

1. the northernmost point on the earth's axis, at a latitude of 90°N

2. Also called: north celestial pole.  astronomy the point of intersection of the earth's extended axis and the northern half of the celestial sphere, lying about 1° from Polaris

3. (usually not capitals) the pole of a freely suspended magnet, which is attracted to the earth's magnetic North Pole

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North Pole Scientific  

1. The northern end of the Earth's axis of rotation, located at 90° north latitude at a point in the Arctic Ocean.

2. See more at axis

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North Pole Cultural  

1. The northern end, or pole, of the Earth's axis (see also axis) (See Arctic and Arctic Ocean.)

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Etymology

Origin of North Pole

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

For instance, traveling from the North Pole to the South Pole along Earth's surface follows a semicircle, which represents the shortest possible route on a sphere.

From Science Daily • Mar. 9, 2026

To answer that, we need to take a look at the polar vortex, a ring of frigid air that typically sits high up in the atmosphere above the North Pole.

From Slate • Feb. 25, 2026

One of the northernmost towns in the world, located halfway between continental Norway and the North Pole, Longyearbyen is home to 2,500 people.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

Briefly put: the shortest route for a Russian ballistic missile to reach continental US is Greenland and the North Pole.

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2026

Less than a week later, Marina’s mentor, Aleksandr Belyakov, made the first-ever air transit over the North Pole.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein