Arctic

== English == === Alternative forms === arctic === Etymology === From Middle French artique (with -c- reintroduced after Latin in the 17th century), 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. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈɑː(k)tɪk/ (see usage notes) (General American) IPA(key): /ˈɑɹ(k)tɪk/ (see usage notes) Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)tɪk, -ɑː(ɹ)ktɪk === Adjective === Arctic (not comparable) (astronomy, now only in compounds) Pertaining to the celestial north pole, or to the pole star. [from 14th c.] (geography) Pertaining to the northern polar region of the planet, characterised by extreme cold and an icy landscape. [from 16th c.] Extremely cold, snowy, or having other properties of extreme winter associated with the Arctic. [from 16th c.] Designed for use in very cold conditions. [from 19th c.] ==== Usage notes ==== Similarly to Antarctic, the English word was originally pronounced without /k/, but the spelling pronunciation has become the more common one. The "c" was originally added to the spelling for etymological reasons, and its pronunciation followed thereafter. ==== Translations ==== === Proper noun === Arctic (obsolete) The north celestial pole. [15th–17th c.] A continental region consisting of the portion of the Earth north of the Arctic Circle, containing the North Pole. [from 17th c.] ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Noun === Arctic (plural Arctics) (US, now chiefly historical) A warm waterproof overshoe. [from 19th c.] Any of various butterflies of the genus Oeneis. [from 20th c.] ==== Translations ==== === Anagrams === -cratic, cratic