tropic
Geography.
either of two corresponding parallels of latitude on the terrestrial globe, one (tropic of Cancer ) about 23½° N, and the other (tropic of Capricorn ) about 23½° S of the equator, being the boundaries of the Torrid Zone.
the tropics, the regions lying between and near these parallels of latitude; the Torrid Zone and neighboring regions.
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.
of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or occurring in the tropics; tropical: romance under the tropic skies of Old Mexico.
Origin of tropic
1Other words from tropic
- non·trop·ic, adjective
- un·trop·ic, adjective
Words Nearby tropic
Other definitions for -tropic (2 of 2)
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).
Origin of -tropic
2- Compare -trophic.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use tropic in a sentence
Instead, rafts of atmospheric wind deliver fresh ozone from the tropics, where it naturally forms, to the poles.
5 famous environmental disasters where humans and nature healed together | Meera Subramanian | February 16, 2021 | Popular-ScienceAt the same time, the Earth’s orbit around the sun was more oval, and seasonal variation in sunlight in the tropics was double what it is today.
Earth used to be cooler than we thought, which changes our math on global warming | Philip Kiefer | January 28, 2021 | Popular-ScienceVery little is known about what animals in the tropics were going through during the exchange.
Why South America’s ancient mammals may have lost out to northern counterparts | Jake Buehler | November 4, 2020 | Science NewsAn astronaut is unlikely to be infected with a disease from the tropics, for example.
Surviving Mars missions will take planning and lots of innovation | Maria Temming | October 22, 2020 | Science News For StudentsPeople living in places such as northern Europe, Canada and the United States could learn a thing or two from countries in the tropics, says Kurt Shickman.
Changing climates can take cooling tips from warm regions | Sharon Oosthoek | October 8, 2020 | Science News For Students
Mr Hock used to be an owner of the Hawaiian tropic Zone in Times Square.
In tropic Thunder, he was a hopelessly deluded movie star in search of an Oscar.
He did a comic turn in tropic Thunder and a quirky commercial for Jimmy Kimmel that aired during the Oscars.
"tropic Thunder" was a modest hit ($159 million), but it cost a fortune to make ($100 million).
How Much Paramount Lost In Its Deal with Spielberg | Sharon Waxman | October 15, 2008 | THE DAILY BEASTSome tropic birds were seen this morning but as yet neither albatrosses nor pintadoes had made their appearance.
This specimen was obtained at Ascension, and is common in all parts of the Atlantic within or near the tropic.
Through the tracery of the lattice came the warm breeze, bearing the narcotic scent of those tropic gardens.
God Wills It! | William Stearns DavisThat organ has only to exhale, in its degree, a fostering tropic air in order to produce complications almost beyond reckoning.
The Awkward Age | Henry JamesScurlocks voice, rising out of the softly-lit tropic evening, died suddenly.
Cursed | George Allan England
British Dictionary definitions for tropic (1 of 2)
/ (ˈtrɒpɪk) /
(sometimes capital) either of the parallel lines of latitude at about 23 1/2 °N (tropic of Cancer) and 23 1/2 °S (tropic of Capricorn) of the equator
the tropics (often capital) that part of the earth's surface between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn; the Torrid Zone
astronomy either of the two parallel circles on the celestial sphere having the same latitudes and names as the corresponding lines on the earth
a less common word for tropical
Origin of tropic
1British Dictionary definitions for -tropic (2 of 2)
turning or developing in response to a certain stimulus: heliotropic
Origin of -tropic
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for tropic
[ trŏp′ĭk ]
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
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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