The Arctic is the area of the world around the North Pole. It is extremely cold and there is very little light in winter and very little darkness in summer.
...winter in the Arctic.
...Arctic ice.
2. adjective
If you describe a place or the weather as arctic, you are emphasizing that it is extremely cold.
[informal, emphasis]
The bathroom, with its ancient facilities, is positively arctic.
Synonyms: freezing, cold, frozen, icy More Synonyms of arctic
arctic in British English
(ˈɑːktɪk)
adjective
1.
of or relating to the Arctic
arctic temperatures
2. informal
cold; freezing
the weather at Christmas was arctic
noun
3. US
a high waterproof overshoe with buckles
4. (modifier)
designed or suitable for conditions of extreme cold
arctic clothing
Word origin
C14: from Latin arcticus, from Greek arktikos northern, literally: pertaining to (the constellation of) the Bear, from arktos bear
Arctic in British English
(ˈɑːktɪk)
noun
1. the Arctic
adjective
2.
of or relating to the regions north of the Arctic Circle
arctic in American English
(ˈɑrktɪk; ˈɑrtɪk)
adjective
1.
of, characteristic of, or near the North Pole or the region around it
2.
very cold; frigid
Idioms:
the Arctic
Word origin
ME artik < OFr artique < L arcticus < Gr arktikos, lit., of the (constellation of the) Bear (Gr arktos), northern, arctic
Examples of 'arctic' in a sentence
arctic
Then he tends his herd, hunts arctic foxes and finds firewood.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The arctic fox 's fur changed colour.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The arctic roll was okay, despite looking terrifyingly similar to the rabbit wellington.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Inside was an arctic roll, sort of.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
A scant step up the food chain from arctic roll, but maybe ten times more expensive.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
There he sees an arctic fox and a snowy owl, as well as a polar bear with two cubs less than a month old.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In the wastes of the tundra, they nest on the ground, where their chief enemy is the arctic fox.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
After leaving the alligator house, the three also threw a lit cigarette at a chimpanzee and French was seen reaching into the arctic fox enclosure.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Word lists with
arctic
Oceans, Weather descriptions
In other languages
arctic
British English: arctic ADJECTIVE
If you describe a place or the weather as arctic, you are emphasizing that it is extremely cold.
The bathroom, with its ancient facilities, is positively arctic.
American English: arctic
Brazilian Portuguese: ártico
Chinese: 极冷的
European Spanish: gélido
French: arctique
German: arktisch
Italian: polare
Japanese: 極寒の
Korean: 매우 추운
European Portuguese: ártico
Latin American Spanish: gélido
British English: Arctic /ˈɑːktɪk/ NOUN
The Arctic is the area of the world around the North Pole. It is extremely cold and there is very little light in winter and very little darkness in summer.
...winter in the Arctic.
American English: Arctic
Arabic: أَركْتِيك
Brazilian Portuguese: região ártica
Chinese: 北极
Croatian: Arktik
Czech: Arktida
Danish: Arktis
Dutch: noordpool
European Spanish: Ártico
Finnish: Arktinen alue
French: Arctique
German: Arktik
Greek: Αρκτική
Italian: Artico
Japanese: 北極
Korean: 북극
Norwegian: Arktis
Polish: Arktyka
European Portuguese: região ártica
Romanian: Arctica
Russian: Арктика
Latin American Spanish: Ártico
Swedish: Arktis
Thai: บริเวณขั้วโลกเหนือ
Turkish: Kuzey Kutbu
Ukrainian: Арктика
Vietnamese: Bắc Cực
All related terms of 'arctic'
arctic char
a char , Salvelinus alpinus, that occurs in northern and arctic seas
arctic fox
a fox , Alopex lagopus, of arctic regions, whose fur is dark grey in the summer and white in the winter
arctic hare
a large hare , Lepus arcticus, of the Canadian Arctic whose fur is white in winter
arctic skua
a predatory gull-like bird, Stercorarius parasiticus, which harasses terns or gulls into dropping or disgorging fish they have caught ; it breeds in northern Eurasia and North America
arctic tern
a black-capped tern , Sterna paradisea, that breeds in the Arctic and then migrates as far south as the Antarctic
Arctic Zone
of or relating to the regions north of the Arctic Circle
High Arctic
the regions of Canada , esp the northern islands, within the Arctic Circle
the Arctic
the regions north of the Arctic Circle
arctic charr
a char , Salvelinus alpinus, that occurs in northern and arctic seas
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is an imaginary line drawn around the northern part of the world at approximately 66° North.
Arctic Ocean
the ocean surrounding the North Pole , north of the Arctic Circle . Area: about 14 100 000 sq km (5 440 000 sq miles)
arctic willow
a low-growing shrub , Salix arctica, of the tundra
Arctic Monkeys
British rock group (formed 2002): comprising Alex Turner (born 1986; vocals , guitar ), Jamie Cook (born 1985, guitar), Matt Helders (born 1986, drums, vocals) and Nick O'Malley (born 1985, bass guitar); their albums include Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006), Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007), and AM (2013)
arctic redpoll
a finch , Carduelis hornemanni , of the family Fringillidae , which breeds in tundra birch forest
Arctic Archipelago
group of mostly large islands in the Arctic Ocean off the N coast of Canada
hoary redpoll
a finch , Carduelis hornemanni , of the family Fringillidae , which breeds in tundra birch forest
(adjective)
Definition
very cold
(informal)
The bathroom is positively arctic.
Synonyms
freezing
a freezing January afternoon
cold
It was bitterly cold outside.
frozen
I'm frozen out here.
icy
An icy wind blew across the moor.
chilly
I was slightly afraid of his chilly, distant politeness.
frosty
He may get a frosty reception.
glacial
The air from the sea felt glacial.
frigid
The water was too frigid to allow him to remain submerged.
gelid
frost-bound
cold as ice
(adjective)
Definition
of this region
Arctic ice
Synonyms
polar
the rigours of life in the polar regions
far-northern
hyperborean
Additional synonyms
in the sense of chilly
Definition
without warmth
I was slightly afraid of his chilly, distant politeness.
Synonyms
unfriendly,
hostile,
unsympathetic,
frigid,
unresponsive,
unwelcoming,
cold as ice
in the sense of cold
Definition
low in temperature
It was bitterly cold outside.
Synonyms
chilly,
biting,
freezing,
bitter,
raw,
chill,
harsh,
bleak,
arctic (informal),
icy,
frosty,
wintry,
frigid,
inclement,
parky (British, informal),
cool,
gelid,
brumal
in the sense of frigid
Definition
very cold
The water was too frigid to allow him to remain submerged.