antarctic

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   relating to Antarctica or the region around the South Pole

   The expedition collected ice cores during the antarctic summer.

2. 2
   adj

   situated in or characteristic of the far southern polar region

   Several antarctic islands support vast colonies of seabirds.

From Middle English antartik, through French and Latin from Greek antarktikos, opposite the Arctic. Greek anti- means opposite, while arktikos refers to the northern Bear constellations; Antarctic therefore names the polar region opposite the north.

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