topical

[top-i-kuhl]

adjective

1. relating to or dealing with matters of current or local interest.

   a topical reference.

2. relating to the subject of a discourse, composition, or the like.

3. relating to or in a particular place; local.

   The themes chosen for World Meteorological Day reflect topical weather, climate, or water-related issues.

4. Medicine/Medical.,  of, relating to, or applied externally to a particular part of the body; local.

   a topical anesthetic.

noun

1. Philately.,  any of a collection of different stamps treating the same subject.

topical

/ ˈtɒpɪkəl, ˌtɒpɪˈkælɪtɪ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or constituting current affairs

2. relating to a particular place; local

3. of or relating to a topic or topics

4. (of a drug, ointment, etc) for application to the body surface; local

Other Word Forms

• topicality noun
• topically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of topical¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Greek topik(ós) “local, pertaining to commonplaces” ( topo-, -ic ) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

As is so often the case with words that seem topical and newfangled, both turned out to have a deeper history than commonly imagined, dating back half a century.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

When the book reaches his years on the court, its structure shifts from narrative to topical.

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While topical minoxidil is an approved therapy, its limited ability to dissolve in water and penetrate the skin reduces its effectiveness.

Read more on Science Daily

Working mostly collaboratively during this period, they made avant-garde films and an album, “Some Time in New York City,” devoted to topical songs with a political edge.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But he says there is a lack of robust evidence to suggest oral and topical collagen have any substantial effect.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• newsworthy