View synonyms for topical

topical

[ top-i-kuhl ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

relating to or dealing with matters of current or local interest:
a topical reference.
relating to the subject of a discourse, composition, or the like.
relating to or in a particular place; local:
The themes chosen for World Meteorological Day reflect topical weather, climate, or water-related issues.
Medicine/Medical. of, relating to, or applied externally to a particular part of the body; local:
a topical anesthetic.

topical

/ ˈtɒpɪkəl; ˌtɒpɪˈkælɪtɪ /

Origin of topical¹

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

For a while he mines a topical vein: Imelda Marcos, the S&L crisis, AIDS.

“Cocaine specifically is still used as a topical anesthetic,” says John Halpern.

Some viewers may get their news from watching “Update” (or other topical TV shows); Fallon got some of his news from writing it.

It's those attributes, more than the clever writing or topical satire that made the episode such a pleasure to watch.

The press release had stated that the show would feature “classic Python material with modern topical twists.”

The proposal to substitute the more topical opera, The Flying Deutschmann, has been received without favour.

The Echo is an exception, showing a fondness for short, quiet, topical articles of a rather serious nature.

He tried his hand at topical humour, and again and again at short sensational tales.

In the Third Book the purely topical method is used in order to give the pupil a coherent knowledge of each subject.

One of them possessed a Continental edition, and the other was immensely popular because of its topical illustrations.

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