Antarctic \Ant*arc"tic\, a. [OE. antartik, OF. antartique, F. antarctique, L. antarcticus, fr. Gr. ?; ? + ? bear. See Arctic.]

Opposite to the northern or arctic pole; relating to the southern pole or to the region near it, and applied especially to a circle, distant from the pole 23[deg] 28[min]. Thus we say the antarctic pole, circle, ocean, region, current, etc.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)