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Webster 1913 Edition


Tropical

Trop′ic-al

,
Adj.
[Cf. L.
tropicus
of turning, Gr. [GREEK]. See
Tropic
,
Noun.
]
1.
Of or pertaining to the tropics; characteristic of, or incident to, the tropics; being within the tropics;
as,
tropical
climate;
tropical
latitudes;
tropical
heat;
tropical
diseases.
2.
[From
Trope
.]
Rhetorically changed from its exact original sense; being of the nature of a trope; figurative; metaphorical.
Jer. Taylor.
The foundation of all parables is some analogy or similitude between the
tropical
or allusive part of the parable and the thing intended by it.
South.
Tropic month
.
See
Lunar month
, under
Month
.
Tropic year
,
the solar year; the period occupied by the sun in passing from one tropic or one equinox to the same again, having a mean length of 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 46.0 seconds, which is 20 minutes, 23.3 seconds shorter than the sidereal year, on account of the precession of the equinoxes.

Webster 1828 Edition


Tropical

TROP'ICAL

,
Adj.
Pertaining to the tropics; being within the tropics; as tropical climates; tropical latitudes; tropical heat; tropical winds.
1.
Incident to the tropics; as tropical diseases.
2.
[from trope.] Figurative; rhetorically changed from its proper or original sense.
The foundation of all parables is some analogy or similitude between the tropical or allusive part of the parable, and the thing intended by it.
Tropical writing or hieroglyphic, is such as represents a thing by qualities which resemble it.

Definition 2024


tropical

tropical

English

Alternative forms

Adjective

tropical (comparative more tropical, superlative most tropical)

  1. Of or pertaining to the tropics, the equatorial region between 23 degrees north and 23 degrees south.
  2. From or similar to a hot humid climate, e.g. tropical fruit, tropical weather.
  3. (dated) Pertaining to, involving, or of the nature of a trope or tropes; metaphorical, figurative.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Jeremy Taylor to this entry?)
    • South
      The foundation of all parables is some analogy or similitude between the tropical or allusive part of the parable and the thing intended by it.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

tropical (plural tropicals)

  1. A tropical plant.

Translations


Catalan

Adjective

tropical m, f (masculine and feminine plural tropicals)

  1. tropical

French

Pronunciation

Adjective

tropical m (feminine singular tropicale, masculine plural tropicaux, feminine plural tropicales)

  1. tropical (pertaining to the tropics)

Galician

Adjective

tropical m, f (plural tropicais)

  1. tropical

Portuguese

Adjective

tropical m, f (plural tropicais, comparable)

  1. tropical (of or pertaining to the tropics)
  2. tropical (from or similar to a hod humid climate)

Spanish

Etymology

From trópico + -al.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /tɾo.pi.ˈkal/

Adjective

tropical m, f (plural tropicales)

  1. tropical