Where does “Antarctica” come from?
Antarctica comes from New Latin Antarctica, derived from Ancient Greek ἀνταρκτικός, combining ἀντί (opposite) and -ικός (suffix), from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent- and -kos.
Antarctica (English): loosely the Antarctic
Definitions
- loosely the Antarctic
Ancestry of “Antarctica”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Latin | Antarctica | — |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ἀνταρκτικός | antarctic |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἀρκτικός | having to do with the Great Bear; northern lands;... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -ικός | of or pertaining to, in the manner of; -ic |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -κός | forms adjectives with the sense of 'of or... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -ḱos | -y, -ic |