Antarctic has 5 different meanings across 3 categories:
Noun · Adjective · Proper Noun
the region around the south pole: Antarctica and surrounding waters
"The penguins huddled together to survive the freezing winds of the antarctic during winter."
at or near the south pole
"The penguins huddled together in their antarctic habitat to survive the freezing winds."
Alternative spelling of Antarctic
"The antarctic penguins thrive in the icy waters surrounding the continent."
Of, from, or pertaining to Antarctica and the south polar regions.
In plain English: Antarctic means relating to the South Pole and its icy continent.
"The antarctic winds blew fiercely across the frozen tundra."
One of the major ecozones of the world, covering the south polar regions.
"The penguin colony thrived in the harsh conditions of the Antarctic ecozone."
The word "antarctic" comes from the Ancient Greek words for "opposite" and "Arctic," combining to mean the region opposite the North Pole. It traveled into English through Middle French and Latin before appearing in Middle English as antartik.