tropical
Americanadjective
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pertaining to, characteristic of, occurring in, or inhabiting the tropics, especially the humid tropics.
tropical flowers.
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very hot and humid.
a tropical climate.
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designed for use in the tropics or in very hot weather (often used in combination).
tropical-weight woolens.
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of or relating to either or both of the astronomical tropics.
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pertaining to, characterized by, or of the nature of a trope or tropes; metaphorical.
noun
adjective
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situated in, used in, characteristic of, or relating to the tropics
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(of weather) very hot, esp when humid
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rhetoric of or relating to a trope
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tropical
Explanation
Our planet’s tropical regions, located just north and south of the equator, are known for being warm and humid. Some people think tropical areas make ideal vacation spots; others think they’re just good places for getting mosquito bites. This word calls for a crash course in geography. If you stand at Earth’s equator at certain times of the year, you’ll see the Sun directly overhead. However, the Sun “wanders” a bit, and sometimes you have to move north or south to see the Sun right above you; latitude lines called tropics show just how far north and south you have to go. The region between each tropic and the equator is considered tropical. For more details, see your travel agent.
Vocabulary lists containing tropical
The Sweltering Words of Summer
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Weather and Climate - Introductory
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The United States
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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.
Forecasters say there’s a 75% chance this latest El Niño — a climate pattern characterized by warmer ocean waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific — will be stronger than any other since 1950.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
This measures how warm the key El Niño region is relative to the rest of the tropical oceans, meaning it takes into account the background warming caused by climate change.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
It’s China’s duty-free retail mecca and a tropical oasis, to boot.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026
Although the research focused on two regions of the Amazon, the scientists say its conclusions may also apply to tropical deforestation frontiers elsewhere in the world.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026
Like the first one, this card features a beautiful, tropical scene.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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.
