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tropical

 - 3 dictionary results

trop⋅i⋅cal

[trop-i-kuhl for 1–4, 6; troh-pi-kuhl for 5]
–adjective
1. pertaining to, characteristic of, occurring in, or inhabiting the tropics, esp. 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 pertaining to either or both of the astronomical tropics.
5. pertaining to, characterized by, or of the nature of a trope or tropes; metaphorical.
–noun
6. tropicals, lightweight clothing, suitable for warm, esp. summer weather.

Origin:
1520–30; tropic + -al 1


trop⋅i⋅cal⋅i⋅ty, noun
trop⋅i⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To tropical
trope   (trōp)   
n.  
  1. A figure of speech using words in nonliteral ways, such as a metaphor.

  2. A word or phrase interpolated as an embellishment in the sung parts of certain medieval liturgies.


[Latin tropus, from Greek tropos, turn, figure of speech; see trep- in Indo-European roots.]
trop'i·cal (trō'pĭ-kəl) adj.
trop·i·cal   (trŏp'ĭ-kəl)   
adj.  
  1. Of, occurring in, or characteristic of the Tropics.

  2. Hot and humid; torrid.

n.  A tropical plant.
trop'i·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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