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arctic circle
noun
often capitalized A&C
: the parallel of latitude that is approximately 66¹/₂ degrees north of the equator and that circumscribes the northern frigid zone
Examples of arctic circle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Since 2022, representatives from industry and government travel to the arctic circle to test how their systems respond to jamming and the more serious GPS spoofing, where GPS signals are faked to deceive a plane or other device about its own location.
—Morgan Meaker, WIRED, 17 Oct. 2024
Long, epic, and ambitious in scale, the series turns living rooms into coral reefs, arctic circles, and mountaintops.
—Tomris Laffly, EW.com, 10 July 2024
The Finnish drama, which follows two strangers on a long train ride up past the arctic circle, also won the international film critics’ Fipresci award for best film.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Feb. 2022
Up in the arctic circle, future-forward Norwegian firm Snøhetta is designing the world's first energy-positive hotel.
—Jenny Southan, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Aug. 2019
As such, evergreen forests grow not only up through Europe, but all the way up to the arctic circle.
—Matt Simon, WIRED, 29 May 2018
Built when the trans-Alaska oil pipeline was laid, the highway stretches through forested hills, traverses the Yukon River, and enters the arctic circle before ending at the Arctic Ocean.
—Sunset, 22 Jan. 2018
Located at the confluence of the Yukon and Klondike Rivers, only 165 miles south of the arctic circle, Dawson was founded after news of gold along the Yukon River brought prospectors pouring into town, the population swelling to 30,000.
—J.r. Jones, Chicago Reader, 27 Sep. 2017
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Word History
First Known Use
circa 1587, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near arctic circle
Cite this Entry
“Arctic circle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arctic%20circle. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
arctic circle
nounoften capitalized A&C
: the parallel of latitude that is approximately 66½ degrees north of the equator
More from Merriam-Webster on arctic circle
Nglish: Translation of arctic circle for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of arctic circle for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about arctic circle
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