Arctic

//ˈɑː(k)tɪk// adj, name, noun

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Alternative letter-case form of Arctic. alt-of, not-comparable
  2. 2
    Pertaining to the celestial north pole, or to the pole star. in-compounds, not-comparable
  3. 3
    Pertaining to the northern polar region of the planet, characterised by extreme cold and an icy landscape. not-comparable

    "What neede the artick people loue star-light, To whom the sunne shines both by day and night."

  4. 4
    Extremely cold, snowy, or having other properties of extreme winter associated with the Arctic. not-comparable

    "‘Could you close that window, please!’ Strickland called, dialling again. ‘It's bloody arctic down this end.’"

  5. 5
    Designed for use in very cold conditions. not-comparable
Adjective
  1. 1
    extremely cold wordnet
  2. 2
    of or relating to the Arctic wordnet
Proper Noun
  1. 1
    The north celestial pole. obsolete
  2. 2
    A continental region consisting of the portion of the Earth north of the Arctic Circle, containing the North Pole.

    "I’ve visited the world from arctic to ecliptic, as a surgeon does a hospital, and find all men sick of some distemper […]"

Noun
  1. 1
    Alternative letter-case form of Arctic. alt-of
  2. 2
    A warm waterproof overshoe. US, historical
  3. 3
    a waterproof overshoe that protects shoes from water or snow wordnet
  4. 4
    Any of various butterflies of the genus Oeneis.

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English artik, artyk (with -c- reintroduced after Latin in the 17th century), from Medieval Latin articus, from Latin arcticus, from Ancient Greek ἀρκτικός (arktikós, “northern, of the (Great) Bear”), from ἄρκτος (árktos, “bear, Ursa Major”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ŕ̥tḱos (“bear”). Cognate with Latin ursus.

Etymology 2

From Middle English artik, artyk (with -c- reintroduced after Latin in the 17th century), from Medieval Latin articus, from Latin arcticus, from Ancient Greek ἀρκτικός (arktikós, “northern, of the (Great) Bear”), from ἄρκτος (árktos, “bear, Ursa Major”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ŕ̥tḱos (“bear”). Cognate with Latin ursus.

Etymology 3

From Middle English artik, artyk (with -c- reintroduced after Latin in the 17th century), from Medieval Latin articus, from Latin arcticus, from Ancient Greek ἀρκτικός (arktikós, “northern, of the (Great) Bear”), from ἄρκτος (árktos, “bear, Ursa Major”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ŕ̥tḱos (“bear”). Cognate with Latin ursus.

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