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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

"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

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Based on an original novel by William Golding, it follows a group of schoolboys stranded on a tropical island after a deadly plane crash.

From BBC

Now, it’s no longer unusual to see a team from a tropical climate competing in the Winter Games; there are 11 Caribbean and South American countries, plus Puerto Rico, competing in the Milan-Cortina Olympics.

From Los Angeles Times

Gezani weakened after landfall but continued to sweep across the island as a tropical storm until late Wednesday.

From Barron's

Roman Ivannikov has spent around 30 years pampering orchids, azaleas and figs at Ukraine's National Botanical Garden, but power cuts triggered by Russian strikes are threatening to freeze his cherished collection of tropical plants.

From Barron's

It comes 10 days after tropical cyclone Fytia killed 14 and displaced over 31,000 people, according to the UN's humanitarian office.

From BBC