Subarctics

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A geographical region characterized by its proximity to the Arctic and having a colder climate than temperate zones
2. An area that experiences long winters and short summers, lying below the Arctic Circle
3. Pertaining to regions that exhibit features typical of those near the Arctic, often including tundra and limited vegetation

Etymology: "Subarctics" is simply the plural of "subarctic," so it refers to more than one such region. The base word is formed from the Latin prefix "sub-," meaning "under" or "near," attached to "Arctic." That adjective traces back through Middle French "artique" to the Greek "arktikos," meaning "of the bear," a reference to the constellation of the Great Bear that marks the north. The compound thus describes lands lying just beneath, or on the edge of, the Arctic.

Synonyms: subarctic regions, subarctic climates