'arcticwards' originates from English, specifically the word 'arctic' combined with the suffix '-wards', where 'arctic' (via Greek 'arktikos' from 'arktos') meant 'of the bear' / 'northern' and '-wards' (from Old English 'weard') meant 'toward'.

'arctic' came from Greek 'arktikos' (from 'arktos' meaning 'bear'), passed into Latin as 'arcticus' and into Middle English as 'arctik/arktik', then combined with the English directional suffix '-wards' (from Old English 'weard') to form phrases meaning 'toward the Arctic', eventually yielding the modern formation 'arcticwards'.

Initially, elements meant 'of the bear' (i.e. northern) and 'toward'; over time the combined form came to mean specifically 'toward the Arctic' in modern usage.