topical

[ top-i-kuhl ]

adjective

1. relating to or dealing with matters of current or local interest:

   a topical reference.

2. relating to the subject of a discourse, composition, or the like.
3. relating to or in a particular place; local:

   The themes chosen for World Meteorological Day reflect topical weather, climate, or water-related issues.

4. Medicine/Medical. of, relating to, or applied externally to a particular part of the body; local:

   a topical anesthetic.

noun

1. Philately. any of a collection of different stamps treating the same subject.

topical

/ ˈtɒpɪkəl; ˌtɒpɪˈkælɪtɪ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or constituting current affairs
2. relating to a particular place; local
3. of or relating to a topic or topics
4. (of a drug, ointment, etc) for application to the body surface; local

Derived Forms

• topicality, noun
• ˈtopically, adverb

Other Words From

• top·i·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of topical¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Greek topik(ós) “local, pertaining to commonplaces” ( topo-, -ic ) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

It’s a lot of jokes in a short amount of time, some very topical.

From Los Angeles Times

It can be used against a list of HRT products, including patches, tablets and topical preparations.

From BBC

“This was a brief moment when he was trying some sort of topical hair ointment,” Finneas says, “and so he was like, ‘Can you do this every day?’”

From Los Angeles Times

Writing an actual procedural mystery in the space of a short story is exceptionally difficult and to make it layered, topical and character-driven all at once?

From Los Angeles Times

And yet, many people do look at topical comedians, including yourself, to be the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down.

From Salon

Related Words

• newsworthy