What does the word Antarctica mean ?

The word Antarctica is often associated with snow, cold and eternal ice. This name is derived from the Greek word “antarktike”, meaning “opposite to the north”. The southernmost point of out planet is not the only place to be ever called Antarctica: the French used it in the 14th century as a name for a French colony in Brazil, which was located below the equator and called France Antartique.

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26 Comments

Chris Lee

It's Greek to me - ergo, I got it right.

Leapy Lee

Gary Chadwick, except Arktos means Bear in Greek and it was named after the Ursa Major (Great Bear), therefore the Antarctic means the opposite of bear, nothing to do with north and south

Leapy Lee

Lunzi, I thought you were supposed to understand Greek? Arktos means bear in Greek and the Arctic was named after Ursa Major.

Leapy Lee

I loathe it when questions provide a dodgy reference with no real gravitas. Arktos means bear in Greek and the Arctic was named after the constellation Ursa Major. Therefore Antartica means against the bear or the opposite of the bear!

Gary Chadwick

Only option it could be. You have the Artic to the North and they added a prefix to that to indicate it's in the south.

tbear

Rob Farr, 👍😊

tbear

Sounded like the answer! 😊👍

dick aspel

Obvious - but not north- wrong.

Rob Farr

Greek and Latin studies certainly help at times ... a good trivia question here ... thanks.

Marian Spitzig

Too much time spent teaching for tests today, when they don’t know Brit lit, American lit, and Greek, or Latin. How to do math without a calculator, etc.