topical
Americanadjective
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relating to or dealing with matters of current or local interest.
a topical reference.
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relating to the subject of a discourse, composition, or the like.
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relating to or in a particular place; local.
The themes chosen for World Meteorological Day reflect topical weather, climate, or water-related issues.
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Medicine/Medical. of, relating to, or applied externally to a particular part of the body; local.
a topical anesthetic.
noun
adjective
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of, relating to, or constituting current affairs
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relating to a particular place; local
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of or relating to a topic or topics
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(of a drug, ointment, etc) for application to the body surface; local
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of topical
First recorded in 1580–90; from Greek topik(ós) “local, pertaining to commonplaces” ( see topo-, -ic) + -al 1
Explanation
When some information or news is current and of immediate interest, we say it is topical. This might be a news story or a bit of gossip, or just a subject that is of current importance. If it's "now," it's topical. There are several meanings of the word topical, but one clue can help you remember them all: that inside word "top." You often hear newscasters refer to the "top" stories of the day—they’re current, and that makes them topical. That same little word "top" can help you remember the medical meaning of topical: pertaining to the surface of the skin. A cream applied to the "top" of your skin is a topical medication. Remember that clue, and you'll be "tops" too.
Vocabulary lists containing topical
Burning Blue
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Week 1 Spelling
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The Wind in the Willows
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The injectable drug can be used along with a one-dose topical spray that kills the parasites at a cost of about 30 cents per animal, he said.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026
Along with the masses and institutional events, there have also been multiple meetings with young people where the pope has used more down-to-earth language and spoken about topical issues like mental health.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
Soon I was using prescription shampoo, two topical serums, monthly steroid scalp injections, and a pricey red-light therapy cap that made me look like an alien.
From Slate • May 23, 2026
For the next 12 years, Colbert’s topical, opening monologues riffed heavily off the news, and that included healthy doses of satire about Trump the candidate or President Trump.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
They are certainly an urban adaptation of the fundamental Karhidish institution of the Hearth, though lacking, of course, the topical and genealogical stability of the Hearth.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
