circumpolar

/ˌsɜrkəmˈpoʊlər/
adjective
  1. Located or occurring around or near one of the Earth's poles, especially the North Pole.
    • Circumpolar winds help drive ocean currents in the Southern Ocean.
    • Many circumpolar peoples rely on reindeer for food and clothing.
    • The Arctic is a circumpolar region shared by several countries.
  2. Describing a star or constellation that never sets below the horizon from a given location on Earth.
    • Astronomers use circumpolar stars to calibrate their telescopes.
    • The Big Dipper is a circumpolar constellation for most of the northern hemisphere.
    • From Alaska, many stars are circumpolar and visible all year.
What does "circumpolar" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean