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Glite Dictionary
Arctic hare

Arctic hare

6.6
A large hare that lives in the Arctic and turns white in winter
  • noun
  • /ˈɑrk.tɪk hɛr/
  • US
translation icon : liebre ártica
  • You might get lucky and spot arctic hare, arctic wolf, fox, ermine, caribou, muskox, seals, and walrus too.

Examples

  • During our hike in the tundra, we spotted an Arctic hare blending in with the snowy landscape.

  • It's arctic hare for supper tonight and if you cook it half as well as last time we are in for a real threat.

    Outpost 11 (2012)

  • The Arctic hare can survive in extreme cold due to its thick fur and ability to change color in winter.

  • On a trip to Canada, we were thrilled to observe an Arctic hare hopping through the icy terrain.

Synonyms

polar hare
vsArctic hare
  • US
7.3

A large Arctic animal like a rabbit that turns white in winter

emphasizes adaptation to very cold northern environments beyond seasonal whitening

Surface Forms

Arctic hare singular
Arctic hares plural

Morphology

Arctic + hare

The meaning 'a hare native to the Arctic' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'Arctic' (relating to the North Polar region) and 'hare' (a fast long-eared mammal). This simple adjective + noun descriptive composition is cross-linguistically common and would be immediately understood by a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

The name Arctic hare comes from a simple picture: a hare that lives in the Arctic. In winter its fur turns white so it can 'hide' in the snow, which is why the name refers to a large hare adapted to very cold places.