arctic
/ˈɑːk.tɪk/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɑːrk.tɪk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈärk-tik ˈär-tik/ (ame, mw) · /ˈɑːktɪk/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɑːrktɪk/ (ame, ipa)
arctic — noun
1. the freezing region of ocean and ice that surrounds the North Pole, including pa
the freezing region of ocean and ice that surrounds the North Pole, including parts of northern Canada, Russia, Greenland, and Norway.
Polar bears, walruses, and seals all live in the Arctic.
always capitalised and used with 'the'
Zara joined a research ship that sailed deep into the Arctic last summer.
Climate scientists warn that ice in the Arctic is melting faster than expected.
Few plants grow in the Arctic because the ground stays frozen for most of the year.
- the North
informal, often refers to the same region but less precise
- the polar north
descriptive phrase rather than a true synonym
- the Antarctic
the matching region around the South Pole
文法句型
the Arctic
用法筆記
Always written with a capital A and used with 'the'. Refers to the geographical region, not just the pole itself.
常見錯誤
arctic — adjective
1. describing places, animals, weather, or activities that come from or happen in t
describing places, animals, weather, or activities that come from or happen in the frozen lands and seas surrounding Earth's far north.
The Arctic fox grows a thick white coat to survive the long winter.
Arctic + animal name (fox, hare, tern)
Captain Sato led an Arctic expedition to map the shrinking sea ice.
collocation: Arctic expedition / Arctic exploration
Strong Arctic winds blew across the deck and froze the ropes solid.
The museum displayed photographs taken by Arctic explorers in the 1920s.
文法句型
Arctic + noun
用法筆記
Capitalised when referring to the specific geographical region. Almost always sits before a noun rather than after a linking verb.
常見錯誤
2. so freezing cold that it feels painful or hard to bear, often used to describe w
so freezing cold that it feels painful or hard to bear, often used to describe weather, rooms, or wind.
The classroom felt arctic because the heater had broken overnight.
predicative use: feel/be + arctic
Yusuf pulled on two jumpers before facing the arctic wind outside.
collocation: arctic wind / arctic blast
An arctic chill swept through Taipei and surprised people walking home from work.
The water in the mountain stream was arctic, even in early summer.
文法句型
arctic + weather noun
predicative: it is arctic
用法筆記
Written with a small 'a' in this figurative sense. Used to exaggerate how cold something is, not to give a real temperature.