ARCTIC

[noun]

1. of, pertaining to, or located at or near the North Pole.

2. coming from the North Pole or the arctic region: an arctic wind.

3. characteristic of the extremely cold, snowy, windy weather north of the Arctic Circle; frigid; bleak.

4. suitable for use in the arctic.

5. extremely cold in manner, atmosphere, etc.

[noun]

6. region lying north of the Arctic Circle or of the northernmost limit of tree growth; the polar area north of the timber line.

7. arctics, warm, waterproof overshoes.

Etymology: the word arctic comes from the Greek ἀρκτικός (arktikos), “near the Bear, arctic, northern” and that from the word ἄρκτος (arktos), meaning bear. The name refers either to the constellation Ursa Major, the “Great Bear”, which is prominent in the northern portion of the celestial sphere, or to the constellation Ursa Minor, the “Little Bear”, which contains Polaris, the Pole Star, also known as the North Star.