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.

---

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

---

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

Kirkland’s variety packs include tropical, peach and orange, Celsius’s most popular flavors.

From The Wall Street Journal

"It fuels tropical and subtropical storms and exacerbates ongoing sea-ice loss in the polar regions."

From Barron's

“Even for a tropical area, that is a tremendous amount of rain,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

A new study has found a sharp and unusual rise in wildfires in tropical peatlands during the 20th century, marking a clear departure from long-term historical patterns.

From Science Daily

With no electricity, Cubans can’t use air conditioning, fans or electrical stoves on the tropical island.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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