arctic

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*h₂ŕ̥tḱos“bear”
2. Ancient Greek · derived fromἀρκτικός“northern, of the (Great) Bear”
3. Latin · derived fromarcticus
4. Medieval Latin · derived fromarticus
5. Middle English · inherited fromartik
6. English todayArctic

From Middle English artik, artyk (with the c reintroduced after Latin in the 17th century), from Medieval Latin articus, from Latin arcticus, from Ancient Greek ἀρκτικός (arktikós, “northern, of the (Great) Bear”), from ἄρκτος (árktos, “bear, Ursa Major”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ŕ̥tḱos (“bear”). Cognate with Latin ursus.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 14th c. Pertaining to the celestial north pole, or to the pole star.
• from 16th c. Pertaining to the northern polar region of the planet, characterised by extreme cold and an icy landscape.
• from 16th c. Extremely cold, snowy, or having other properties of extreme winter associated with the climate of the Arctic.
• from 19th c. Designed for use in very cold conditions.
• 15th–17th c. The north celestial pole.
• from 17th c. A continental region consisting of the portion of the Earth north of the Arctic Circle, containing the North Pole.
• from 19th c. A warm waterproof overshoe.
• from 20th c. Any of various butterflies of the genus Oeneis.