a. and sb. Forms: 4 artik, 6 -tyke, -tike, arctike, 6–7 artic, -tique, 6–8 -tick(e, arctick(e, 7– arctic. [a. OF. artique, ad. L. articus, arctic-us, a. Gr. ἀρκτικ-ός of the Bear, northern, f. ἄρκτος bear, the constellation Ursa Major. Refashioned after L. since 17th c.]
A. adj.
1. Of or pertaining to the north pole, or north polar regions; northern. Arctic Pole: the north pole of the heavens or earth.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., II. xxii. 31. The heyhte of owre pool Artik fro owre north Orisonte.
1549. Compl. Scot., 48. The pole artic, boreal, or septemtrional.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., II. ii. III. (1651), 241. Whether the sea be open and navigable by the Pole artick.
1708. J. Philips, Cyder, II. Did not the arctick tract spontaneous yield A cheering purple berry.
1772–84. Cook, Voy. (1790), VI. 2125. We observed several fulmars, and arctic gulls.
1835. Sir J. Ross, N.-W. Pass., vi. 85. To know what an arctic night can be.
1856. Kane (title), Arctic Exploration.
b. Arctic Circle of the heavens (obs.): the small circle of the sphere, parallel to the celestial equator, which touches the horizon of any latitude, and, being entirely above it, bounds all those stars which never set; opposed to the Antarctic Circle, which, being similarly entirely below the horizon, bounds the stars which in any latitude never rise. (The modern arctic circle of the heavens, rarely used, corresponds to the) Arctic Circle of the earth: the fixed parallel of 23° 28′ North, which separates the North Temperate and North Frigid Zones.
1556. Recorde, Cast. Knowl., 27. The Arctike circle is the greattest of all those circles whiche do alwaies appear, and toucheth the Horizonte in one only pointe … all the starres that bee within this circle nother rise nother sette.
1622. Heylin, Cosmogr., Introd. (1674), 19/2. The Artick Circle … passeth through Norway, Muscovy, Tartary, etc.
1622. Peacham, Compl. Gent., vii. (1634), 61. The Arcticke Circle, anciently accounted the Horizon of Greece.
1775. Burke, Sp. Conc. Amer., Wks. III. 45. Whilst we are looking for them beneath the arctick circle.
1834. Penny Cycl., II. 289/2. Every different latitude had a different arctic circle; and in the latitude in which astronomy was first cultivated, the great bear just swept the sea, and did not set, whence the boundary circle obtained its name.
2. fig. in reference to extremeness or cold.
1670. Eachard, Contempt Clergy, 54. Heathens and unbelievers … are all artick and antartick reprobates.
1821. W. Havergal, in Life (1882), 31. The diocese is still in an Arctic sea, notwithstanding it has had a fine sun in its bishop for several years.
1877. E. Conder, Bas. Faith, iii. 99. Truths within the arctic circle of doubt.
B. sb. [the adj. used absol.] The north pole, or north polar regions; the arctic circle. Also fig.
1569. J. Sanford, trans. Agrippa’s Van. Artes, 14 b. They … that affirme the frosen Sea to be under the Arcticke.
1647. Ward, Simp. Cobler (1843), 22. Beyond the Artique of my comprehension. [See also ANTARCTIC C.]
1678. Jordan, Tri. Lond., in Heath, Grocers’ Comp. (1869), 535. Th’ antartick and artick we visit by turn, In one we are frozen, in t’other we burn.
