tropical

[ trop-i-kuhl for 1-4, 6; troh-pi-kuhl for 5 ]

/ ˈtrɒp ɪ kəl for 1-4, 6; ˈtroʊ pɪ kəl for 5 /

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See synonyms for tropical on Thesaurus.com

adjective

pertaining to, characteristic of, occurring in, or inhabiting the tropics, especially the humid tropics: tropical flowers.

very hot and humid: a tropical climate.

designed for use in the tropics or in very hot weather (often used in combination): tropical-weight woolens.

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

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

noun

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

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Origin of tropical

First recorded in 1520–30; tropic + -al¹

OTHER WORDS FROM tropical

trop·i·cal·i·ty, nountrop·i·cal·ly, adverbhy·per·trop·i·cal, adjectivenon·trop·i·cal, adjective

non·trop·i·cal·ly, adverbun·trop·i·cal, adjectiveun·trop·i·cal·ly, adverb

Words nearby tropical

trophozoite, trophy, trophy room, trophy wife, tropic, tropical, tropical aquarium, tropical cyclone, tropical depression, tropical disturbance, tropical fish

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tropical in a sentence

As Laura’s track shifted southward, away from Florida, tropical storm Marco appeared to be on track to enter the Gulf of Mexico right behind it.
What’s behind August 2020’s extreme weather? Climate change and bad luck|Carolyn Gramling|August 27, 2020|Science News
Groups such as the Red Cross are starting to use subseasonal forecasts to strategize for weather disasters, such as figuring out where to move emergency supplies when it looks like a tropical cyclone might hit a region.
Improved three-week weather forecasts could save lives from disaster|Alexandra Witze|August 27, 2020|Science News
The effects of that disturbance in air circulation can be felt across the globe, suppressing winds over the Atlantic that might otherwise pull tropical storms apart.
Predictions for the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season just got worse|Maria Temming|August 7, 2020|Science News
Too much deforestation means that tropical forests are now producing more greenhouse gases than they absorb.
Scientists Say: Deforestation|Bethany Brookshire|August 3, 2020|Science News For Students

Reducing tropical deforestation and limiting the wildlife trade might be cost-effective ways of stopping pandemics before they start, a new analysis finds.
To prevent the next pandemic, we might need to cut down fewer trees|Jonathan Lambert|July 23, 2020|Science News
Mistletoes on mesquite trees in central Mexico have been linked to a greater abundance of tropical bird species.
Mistletoe is the Vampire of Plants|Helen Thompson|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The abandoned barracks of the Liberian Army lay just beyond in the tropical thicket.
The Life of a Liberian Child with Ebola|Sarah Crowe|November 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A tropical storm, clearly visible on radar for days, is to blame.
Nepal’s Deadliest Avalanche Was Totally Avoidable|Dick Dorworth|October 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As I ended my call with Mooney, he was monitoring tropical storm Gonzalo as it was developing into a classified hurricane.
Victor Mooney’s Epic Adventure for His Dead Brother|Justin Jones|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
From deep within, looking up at the tropical sky is like staring through the dome of some kind of earthen cathedral.
What Made Mexico’s Most Mysterious Beach?|Brandon Presser|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Tyrannus melancholicus chloronotus Berlepsch: Tropical Kingbird.
Summer Birds From the Yucatan Peninsula|Erwin E. Klaas
The graceful flying-fish, like a fair white bird, goes glancing above the blue magnificence of the tropical seas.
God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford
The soil of Cuba is prolific, and the variety of tropical plants and fruits grown upon the island is quite remarkable.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
I had once been in a tropical calm, and I really, after trying them both, prefer the breezes and thunder-storms.
Journal of a Voyage to Brazil|Maria Graham
Fortunately, hurricanes are limited to a very small part of the tropical district.
Outlines of the Earth's History|Nathaniel Southgate Shaler

British Dictionary definitions for tropical

tropical

/ (ˈtrɒpɪkəl) /

adjective

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

(of weather) very hot, esp when humid

rhetoric of or relating to a trope

Derived forms of tropical

tropicality, nountropically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

tropical

Origin of tropical

OTHER WORDS FROM tropical

Words nearby tropical

Words related to tropical

How to use tropical in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tropical

Derived forms of tropical