What does arctic mean?
The Arctic is the vast polar region encircling the North Pole, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its drifting sea ice, and the northernmost parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. As an adjective, 'arctic' describes anything connected with this region — its climate, wildlife, or peoples — and by extension any conditions of extreme cold, as in 'an arctic wind.' The word derives from the Greek arktos, meaning bear, a reference to the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, which dominate the northern night sky. In modern usage, capitalized 'the Arctic' denotes the geographic region itself, while the lowercase adjective often appears figuratively to convey bitter cold. The Arctic holds growing importance in discussions of climate change, since its melting ice serves as one of the most visible indicators of global warming, making the word both scientifically significant and vividly evocative.
The regions around the North Pole, including the Arctic Ocean and the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and North America.
"Migratory birds travel thousands of miles each summer to breed in the Arctic."
Usually written as 'the Arctic' with a capital letter when referring to the geographic region.
Relating to the regions around the North Pole, or (figuratively) extremely cold.
"They endured arctic conditions during their expedition across Greenland."
The word 'Arctic' literally means 'of the bear' — it comes from the Greek arktos, after the Great Bear constellation that hangs over the northern sky.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of arctic
The word 'arctic' traces back to the Greek arktikos, meaning 'of the bear,' derived from arktos, the bear — a reference to the northern constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. It passed into Latin as arcticus before entering English via Old French in the late Middle Ages. Its counterpart 'antarctic' was formed by adding the Greek prefix anti-, meaning 'opposite,' to describe the corresponding region at the opposite pole.
Related word forms
How arctic is actually used
When capitalized ('the Arctic'), it refers specifically to the polar region; lowercase 'arctic' is used for the general adjective sense of intense cold. The figurative use for very cold weather is common in everyday speech.
Easily confused with arctic
The Arctic is the region around the North Pole, while the Antarctic is the region around the South Pole.