tropical

[ trop-i-kuhl troh-pi-kuhl ]

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

/ 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

Derived Forms

• ˈtropically, adverb
• ˌtropiˈcality, noun

Other Words From

• tropi·cali·ty noun
• tropi·cal·ly adverb
• hyper·tropi·cal adjective
• non·tropi·cal adjective
• non·tropi·cal·ly adverb
• un·tropi·cal adjective
• un·tropi·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of tropical¹

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

Example Sentences

This is where surface waters in the east tropical Pacific Ocean are warmer than usual, which releases extra heat into the atmosphere.

From BBC

Heavy rains are also expected in the Cayman Islands, while a tropical storm warning is in force in the Florida Keys.

From BBC

This supercharges these tropical storms — and obviously it has nothing to do with health care or reproductive rights.

From Salon

A tropical storm has dumped one month's worth of rains over large swathes of the northern Philippines, leaving more than 20 people dead and forcing 150,000 others to evacuate.

From BBC

Outside of the entertainment sector, Elba also has plans to develop an “eco-city” on Sherbro Island, a tropical region off the southwestern coast of Sierra Leone — where his father was born.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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