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