arctic

adjective arc·tic \ ˈärk-tik , ˈär-tik \

|Updated on: 11 Jul 2018

Examples: arctic in a Sentence

Definition of arctic

1 often capitalized : of, relating to, or suitable for use at the north pole or the region near it

arctic waters

arctic animals

arctic clothing

2 a : bitter cold : frigid

arctic air

b : cold in temper or mood

an arctic smile

—

arctically

play \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

See arctic defined for English-language learners

See arctic defined for kids

Examples of arctic in a Sentence

The group is involved in Arctic exploration.
the arctic air of deep winter

Recent Examples of arctic from the Web

Another hurdle for arctic companies is the abbreviated Alaska summer.

— Anchorage Daily News, "Constructing success with the Drake family," 25 June 2018
Air pressure readings above 31 inches of mercury are rare and generally occur only during intense arctic outbreaks at locations in high latitudes.

— tom skilling, chicagotribune.com, "Ask Tom: What is the world record for high air pressure?," 21 June 2018
The report — and that 93 percent number — was compiled just before a new study from 80 Antarctic scientists showed that arctic ice melting has tripled in a decade.

— alex harris, miamiherald, "Florida has more to lose with sea rise than anywhere else in the U.S., new study says," 18 June 2018
Each ship will have a 10-person expedition team, made up of experts in marine biology, arctic survival, oceanography, biology, geology, history, and photography.

— veronica stoddart, Condé Nast Traveler, "New Expedition Ships: Small but Mighty Appealing," 14 June 2018
The piece uses recordings of arctic bird songs, but the effect is not gimmicky.

— patrick neas, kansascity, "Violinist Augustin Hadelich joins KC Symphony for an eclectic program," 10 June 2018
Certain breeds are considered heavy shedders, including dogs with arctic breed-type fur (like huskies), retriever coats and shepherd-y pelts, but any kind of dog will shed.

— dr. patty khuly, miamiherald, "Shedding is a normal for dogs; most times no need to be concerned," 8 June 2018
After all, few beauty moves can instantly catapult a look from everyday to extraordinary—see Kristen Stewart and her arctic buzzcut as one shining example.

— lauren valenti, Vogue, "The Best Platinum Blondes of All Time, From Courtney Love to Kristen Stewart," 25 May 2018
Similar to whales found off of Australia and Chile, New Zealand’s whales are slightly smaller than the 100-foot leviathans that migrate to arctic waters.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Hundreds of Blue Whales Are Permanent Residents Off New Zealand’s Coasts," 18 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'arctic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of arctic

Middle English artik, from Latin arcticus, from Greek arktikos, from arktos bear, Ursa Major, north; akin to Latin ursus bear, Sanskrit ṛkṣa

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1540

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

arctic Synonyms

Other Ecology Terms

Malthusian, anthropogenic, biomass, carbon footprint, crepuscular, niche, sere, symbiosis, taiga, tundra

arctic

noun arc·tic \ ˈär-tik , ˈärk-tik \

Definition of arctic

: a rubber overshoe reaching to the ankle or above

Recent Examples of arctic from the Web

But say a warming arctic is responsible for wacky winter weather in the United States.

— matt simon, WIRED, "The Controversial Link Between Epic Storms and a Warming Arctic," 13 Mar. 2018

First Known Use of arctic

1868

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Other Clothing Terms

babushka, brogue, bumbershoot, cravat, dishabille, furbelow, layette, raiment, spectator

ARCTIC Defined for English Language Learners

arctic

adjective

Definition of arctic for English Language Learners

: of or relating to the North Pole or the region around it
: very cold

ARCTIC Defined for Kids

arctic

adjective arc·tic \ ˈärk-tik , ˈär-tik \

Definition of arctic for Students

1 often capitalized : of or relating to the north pole or to the region around it

arctic explorers

2 : very cold

arctic temperatures

History for arctic

The Big Dipper is a group of stars in the northern sky. It looks like a dipper to us, but ancient people thought it looked like a large bear. The ancient Greeks gave it a name that meant “bear.” The English word arctic came from the Greek name for the Big Dipper. Because when we look at the Big Dipper we are looking toward the north, the word arctic refers to the region around the north pole.