top of page



ARCTIC
- Latin arcticus, Greek arktikos = of the north; or literally of the Bear [arktos = bear & Ursa Major; (the
region of the north; the Bear constellation being the best-known northern circumpolar constellation)
[from PIE 🔍 root rkto = bear]
ARCTIC CIRCLE = the region above the latitude 66° 34' N, with the NORTH POLE*
ANTARCTIC & ANTARCTICA- Latin antarcticus, Greek antarktikos = opposite the North 🔍;
[anti- = opposite + arktikos (see above)]
ANTARCTIC CIRCLE = the region below the latitude 66° 30′ S, with the SOUTH POLE*
* The end points of Earth's axis of rotation; Old French, from Latin polus = end of an axis + sky, heavens, from Greek
polos = pivot, axis of a sphere, the sky (from PIE kwol/kwel = turn round, revolve) Once principally in reference to
the celestial sphere & fixed points about which the stars appear to revolve then later to the terrestrial poles.
bottom of page