Arctic

== English == === Alternative forms === arctic === Etymology === 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. === 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