pole arctic

noun

The pole star.

OriginMiddle French pôle arctique ← Late Latin polus arcticus →
First used 14th–18th c.
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Meanings

noun
  1. obsoleteThe pole star.First known use 14th–18th c.

    Now Phoebus ascends to the utmost limits of the Zodiac towards the Pole Arctic.

    1750, William Ellis, The Modern Husbandman, IV.1
    1 more example

    Whan Luna, full of mutabylyte, As Emperes the dyademe hath worne Of our pole artyke […]

    1499, John Skelton, The Bowge of Court

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
pole star

Origin

  1. Late Latinpolus arcticus
  2. Middle Frenchpôle arctique
  3. Englishpole arctic

From pole + arctic, after Middle French pôle arctique, Late Latin polus arcticus.

More words from Middle French, Late Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

pole arctic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pole%20arctic

MLA

“pole arctic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pole%20arctic. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pole arctic,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pole%20arctic.

Source: pole arctic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.