The Etymology of “Arctic” and “Antarctic” (and a Bit About “Bear”)
uselessetymology.com
“Arctic” is from the Greek arktos, “bear,” because the constellation Ursa Major, “the greater she-bear” (also known as the Big Dipper), is always visible in the …
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The original was posted on /r/todayilearned by /u/SauloJr on 2024-04-19 20:57:07.

Original Title: TIL: Arctic means “Bear”, and Antarctic “No bear”, because the Big Dipper, “the greater she-bear”, is always visible in the northern pole sky. The fact that there are Polar bears in the Arctic but not in the Antarctic continent is purely a coincidence.