tropical

American  

[trop-i-kuhl, troh-pi-kuhl] / ˈtrɒp ɪ kəl, ˈtroʊ pɪ kəl /

adjective

1. pertaining to, characteristic of, occurring in, or inhabiting the tropics, especially the humid tropics.

   tropical flowers.

2. very hot and humid.

   a tropical climate.

3. designed for use in the tropics or in very hot weather (often used in combination).

   tropical-weight woolens.

4. of or relating to either or both of the astronomical tropics.

5. pertaining to, characterized by, or of the nature of a trope or tropes; metaphorical.

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noun

1. tropicals, lightweight clothing, suitable for warm, especially summer weather.

tropical British  

/ ˈtrɒpɪkəl /

adjective

1. situated in, used in, characteristic of, or relating to the tropics

2. (of weather) very hot, esp when humid

3. rhetoric of or relating to a trope

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Other Word Forms

• hypertropical adjective
• nontropical adjective
• nontropically adverb
• tropicality noun
• tropically adverb
• untropical adjective
• untropically adverb

Etymology

Origin of tropical

First recorded in 1520–30; tropic + -al ¹

Example Sentences

At the tropical Siren Social Club, I splurged on a gin martini, an appetizer of garlicky Gulf shrimp and pastry-encrusted beef Wellington.

From The Wall Street Journal

With much of the country in a deep freeze in the past month, plenty of people are likely thinking of getting away on a tropical vacation.

From Barron's

Uncle Dutch says in summer he’d watch the waves of corn out in the field and all he could think about was the ocean and cool water and tropical breezes.

From Literature

According to Wilder Humber, seagrass captures carbon up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests and improves water quality by absorbing pollutants.

From BBC

It is a well-known problem that Myanmar teak continues to find its way into supply chains, passed off for example as plantation teak from other tropical countries.

From BBC

Related Words

• equatorial
• hot
• lush
• steamy
• sultry
• sweltering