Arctic
AH-tihk
Arctic (adjective) means relating to the region around the North Pole. Example: “Polar bears are native to Arctic regions.”
adjective
1
Relating to the region around the North Pole.
"Polar bears are native to Arctic regions."
2
Extremely cold.
"It was arctic in the office after someone left the window open all night."
How to use Arctic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRelating to the far north, or, informally, just very cold.
Common pairings
arctic conditions
arctic climate
arctic wind
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Word forms
- Plural
- Arctics
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Polar bears are native to _____ regions.
Etymology
From Greek arktikos, "of the (Great) Bear," referring to the constellation Ursa Major, which sits over the northern sky.
Related words
Rhymes for Arctic
See all rhymes for Arctic →Frequently asked questions
What does “Arctic” mean?
The word “Arctic” means relating to the region around the North Pole. In plain terms, relating to the far north, or, informally, just very cold.
How do you pronounce “Arctic”?
“Arctic” is pronounced AH-tihk (/ˈɑɹ(k)tɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “Arctic” in a sentence?
Here is “Arctic” used in a sentence: “Polar bears are native to Arctic regions.”
What part of speech is “Arctic”?
“Arctic” is an adjective.
Where does the word “Arctic” come from?
The word “Arctic” comes from Greek. From Greek arktikos, "of the (Great) Bear," referring to the constellation Ursa Major, which sits over the northern sky.
Is “Arctic” a common word?
“Arctic” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “Arctic” have?
“Arctic” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to the region around the North Pole.
What is the difference between the Arctic and Antarctica?
The Arctic is the region around the North Pole — largely a frozen ocean ringed by the northern edges of North America, Europe, and Asia. Antarctica is a continent centered on the South Pole. Polar bears live in the Arctic; penguins live around Antarctica.
Should arctic be capitalized?
Capitalize Arctic when referring to the region around the North Pole: the Arctic Circle, the Arctic Ocean. Use lowercase arctic when it simply means extremely cold, as in "an arctic wind cut through the campsite."
Is it spelled arctic or artic?
The standard spelling is arctic, with two c's: a-r-c-t-i-c. Dropping the first c ("artic") is a common error influenced by casual pronunciation. Separately, British English uses "artic" informally as a shortening of "articulated lorry."
What is an arctic blast in weather?
Forecasters use arctic blast for a sudden surge of extremely cold air pushing down from polar regions. Similar collocations include arctic air, arctic chill, and arctic conditions, all built on the sense "extremely cold."
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