Arc"tic (&?;), a. [OE. artik, OF. artique, F. arctique, L. arcticus, fr. Gr. &?;, fr. &?; a bear, also a northern constellation so called; akin to L. ursus bear, Skr. &?;ksha.] Pertaining to, or situated under, the northern constellation called the Bear; northern; frigid; as, the arctic pole, circle, region, ocean; an arctic expedition, night, temperature.

&fist; The arctic circle is a lesser circle, parallel to the equator, 23° 28′ from the north pole. This and the antarctic circle are called the polar circles, and between these and the poles lie the frigid zones. See Zone.

Arc"tic, n. 1. The arctic circle.

2. A warm waterproof overshoe. [U.S.]

• Being extremely cold, snowy, or having other properties of extreme winter associated with the Arctic.
       The food was kept very fresh by the arctic temperature setting of the freezer.
  

• A region of the Earth above the Arctic Circle, containing the North Pole.