Relating to the North or South Pole, or describing two opposite extremes.
From Late Latin 'polaris,' derived from 'polus' (pole), which came from Greek 'polos.' The word entered English in the 14th century and expanded to mean 'opposite' because the poles are opposite ends of Earth.
The word 'polar' appears in 'polar opposite,' but that's not quite scientific—the actual 180-degree opposites on Earth are called antipodes. Polar really means the extreme cold regions at the top and bottom of our planet!
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