Tropic Definition | Definition of Tropic at Dictionary.com

trop⋅ic

[trop-ik]

–noun

Geography.

a.	either of two corresponding parallels of latitude on the terrestrial globe, one (tropic of Cancer) about 23 ¹/₂ ° N, and the other (tropic of Capricorn) about 23 ¹/₂ ° S of the equator, being the boundaries of the Torrid Zone.

b.	the tropics, the regions lying between and near these parallels of latitude; the Torrid Zone and neighboring regions.

2.	Astronomy. either of two circles on the celestial sphere, one lying in the same plane as the tropic of Cancer, the other in the same plane as the tropic of Capricorn.

–adjective

3.	of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or occurring in the tropics; tropical: romance under the tropic skies of Old Mexico.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME < L tropicus < Gk tropikós pertaining to a turn, equiv. to tróp(os) turn + -ikos -ic

-tropic

a combining form with the meanings “turned toward, with an orientation toward” that specified by the initial element (geotropic), “having an affinity for, affecting” what is specified (lipotropic; neurotropic; psychotropic), “affecting the activity of, maintaining” a specified organ (gonadotropic).

Compare -trophic.

Origin:
see tropic

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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trop·ic (trŏp'ĭk)

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n.

1. Either of two parallels of latitude on the earth, one 23°27' north of the equator and the other 23°27' south of the equator, representing the points farthest north and south at which the sun can shine directly overhead and constituting the boundaries of the Torrid Zone.
2. Tropics or tropics The region of the earth's surface lying between these latitudes.
Astronomy Either of two corresponding parallels of celestial latitude that are the limits of the apparent northern and southern passages of the sun.

adj. Of or relating to the Tropics; tropical.

[Middle English tropik, from Old French tropique, from Late Latin tropicus, from Latin, of a turn, from Greek tropikos, from tropē, a turning; see trep- in Indo-European roots.]

tro·pism (trō'pĭz'əm)

n. The turning or bending movement of an organism or a part toward or away from an external stimulus, such as light, heat, or gravity.

[From -tropism.]
tro'pic, tro·pis'tic adj., tro·pis'ti·cal·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Tropic

Trop"ic\, a. [Atropine + -ic.] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained from atropine and certain other alkaloids, as a white crystalline substance slightly soluble in water.

Tropic

Trop"ic\, n. [F. tropique, L. tropicus of or belonging to a turn, i. e., of the sun, Gr. ? of the solstice, ? (sc. ?) the tropic or solstice, fr. ? to turn. See Trope.]

1. (Astron.) One of the two small circles of the celestial sphere, situated on each side of the equator, at a distance of 23[deg] 28[min], and parallel to it, which the sun just reaches at its greatest declination north or south, and from which it turns again toward the equator, the northern circle being called the Tropic of Cancer, and the southern the Tropic of Capricorn, from the names of the two signs at which they touch the ecliptic.

2. (Geog.) (a) One of the two parallels of terrestrial latitude corresponding to the celestial tropics, and called by the same names. (b) pl. The region lying between these parallels of latitude, or near them on either side.

The brilliant flowers of the tropics bloom from the windows of the greenhouse and the saloon. --Bancroft.

Tropic

Trop"ic\, a. Of or pertaining to the tropics; tropical.

Tropic bird (Zo["o]l.), any one of three species of oceanic belonging to the genus Pha["e]thon, found chiefly in tropical seas. They are mostly white, and have two central tail feathers very long and slender. The yellow-billed tropic bird. Pha["e]thon flavirostris (called also boatswain), is found on the Atlantic coast of America, and is common at the Bermudas, where it breeds.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : tropic

Spanish: trópico,

German: der Wendekreis,

Japanese: 回帰線

More Translations »

tropic

c.1391, "either of the two circles in the celestial sphere which describe the northernmost and southernmost points of the ecliptic," from L.L. tropicus "of or pertaining to the solstice" (as a noun, "one of the tropics"), from L. tropicus "pertaining to a turn," from Gk. tropikos "of or pertaining to a turn or change, or to the solstice" (as a noun, "the solstice"), from trope "a turning" (see trope). The notion is of the point at which the sun "turns back" after reaching its northernmost or southernmost point in the sky. Extended 1527 to the corresponding latitudes on the earth's surface (23 degrees 28 minutes north and south); meaning "region between these parallels" is from 1837. Tropical "hot and lush like the climate of the tropics" is first attested 1834.

Main Entry: tro·pic
Pronunciation: 'trO-pik
Function: adjective
1 : of, relating to, or characteristic of tropism or of a tropism
2 of a hormone : influencing the activity of a specified gland

tropic (trŏp'ĭk) Pronunciation Key

Either of the two parallels of latitude representing the points farthest north and south at which the Sun can shine directly overhead. The northern tropic is the Tropic of Cancer and the southern one is the Tropic of Capricorn.
tropics. The region of the Earth lying between these latitudes. The tropics are generally the warmest and most humid region of the Earth. Also called Torrid Zone.

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