tropical

adjective

trop·​i·​cal
for sense 1
ˈträ-pi-kəl How to pronounce tropical (audio)
for sense 2
ˈtrō- How to pronounce tropical (audio)
also
ˈträ- How to pronounce tropical (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, occurring in, or suitable for use in the tropics
tropical forests
a tropical disease
b
: of, being, or characteristic of a region or climate that is frost-free with temperatures high enough to support year-round plant growth given sufficient moisture
tropical Florida
2
tropically adverb

Examples of tropical in a Sentence

wanted to escape winter and visit some tropical location where freezing to death would not be a possibility an author given to high-flown tropical phrasings and convoluted symbology
Recent Examples on the Web This viral infection is spread by mosquitoes, mainly in tropical regions. Lindsay Curtis, Health, 24 Oct. 2024 Once widespread across Australia’s tropical and subtropical waters, these predators are now critically endangered, with sightings becoming increasingly rare. Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 Ube grows best in warm, tropical, and subtropical regions where the summers are wet. Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 22 Oct. 2024 The big picture: The annual NOAA winter outlook calls for weak La Niña conditions in the tropical Pacific Ocean to be a key factor in influencing the path that storms take. Andrew Freedman, Axios, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tropical 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tropical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

(sense 1) Middle English tropikal "pertaining to the three circles of the celestial sphere (the two tropics and the equinoctial circle)," from tropik tropic entry 1 + -al -al entry 1; (sense 2) Latin tropicus "pertaining to figures of speech" (borrowed from Greek tropikós, from trópos "figurative expression, trope" + -ikos -ic entry 1) + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of tropical was in 1671

Dictionary Entries Near tropical

Cite this Entry

“Tropical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tropical. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

tropical

adjective
trop·​i·​cal ˈträp-i-kəl How to pronounce tropical (audio)
: of, relating to, occurring in, or used in the tropics
tropically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on tropical

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