tropical
TROP-ih-kuhl
/ˈtrɒp.ɪ.kəl/
Relating to, characteristic of, or located in the regions near the equator, known for hot and humid conditions.
Implies constant year-round heat and abundant plant growth, often associated with distinct rainy and dry seasons rather than summer and winter.
The story behind the word. Ancient Greek astronomers observed that as the sun moved through the sky across the year, it reached a farthest northern and southern point before turning back. They called these boundary lines 'tropikoi kykloi' or turning circles. Over centuries, the word evolved in Latin and Old French to describe the lush, warm geographical band between those two turning lines.
Word relationships
- equatorial: Equatorial specifically emphasizes proximity to the exact line of the equator, whereas tropical covers the broader zone between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn.
- polar: Polar describes freezing regions near Earth's poles, the direct thermal opposite of tropical regions.
Commonly confused with
- subtropical: Subtropical regions lie just outside the tropics and experience mild winter cooling, unlike purely tropical zones.
Word family
- tropics (noun): The region of the Earth surrounding the equator.
- tropic (noun): Either of two parallel lines of latitude on the Earth.
Collocations
- tropical rainforest
- tropical climate
- tropical storm
- tropical island
Example sentences
- "In tropical rainforests, dense broadleaf foliage forms a thick canopy that blocks sunlight from reaching the forest floor." Ecological geography
- "A tropical storm system moving across the Caribbean is expected to bring heavy rainfall to coastal communities." Meteorological report
Memory hook
Think of solar rays turning ('trop') around at the boundaries, heating the middle region into a lush tropical zone. TROPical = where the sun turns (TROPes) back.
When not to use
Do not use to describe mere hot weather in temperate regions, such as an exceptionally warm summer day in London.
Fun facts
- Despite occupying only 6 percent of Earth's surface, tropical rainforests house more than half of the world's plant and animal species.
Explore more words
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.