antarctic

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromἀνταρκτικός
2. Latin · derived fromantarcticus
3. Middle French · derived fromantartique
4. Middle English · inherited fromantartik
5. English todayAntarctic

From Middle English antartik, antartyk, from Middle French antartique, from Latin antarcticus, from Ancient Greek ἀνταρκτικός (antarktikós), from ἀντί (antí, “opposite”) + ἀρκτικός (arktikós, “Arctic”) + -ικός (-ikós, “-ic”). By surface analysis, anti- + Arctic.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• 1651–1711 Opposite, contradictory.