tropical

adjective

trop·​i·​cal

for sense 1

ˈträ-pi-kəl 

for sense 2

ˈtrō- 

also

ˈträ- 

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

: figurative sense 2

tropically

ˈträ-pi-k(ə-)lē 

ˈtrō-

adverb

Synonyms of tropical

• subtropical
• equatorial

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

Many types of plants go through dormancy, including herbaceous perennials, deciduous trees, flower bulbs such as tulips and daffodils, turfgrasses, and tropical houseplants such as cyclamen and oxalis. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 Nov. 2025

The cycle swings between warmer and cooler seawater in a region along the equator in the tropical Pacific Ocean. —Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 14 Nov. 2025

After a full 35 years of tropical maturation, the rum is full bodied, with profound aromas of honey, aged wood, and licorice, inviting the senses to explore further. —Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 13 Nov. 2025

As per previous iterations, the brand’s Remember Me jacket introduced last year once again stood out for its pure lines and seasonal embellishments, including motifs such as the moon and the sun, an exotic mermaid, a fish, a sea turtle, as well as tropical flowers and seashells. —Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Nov. 2025

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

Phrases Containing tropical

• tropical aquarium
• tropical cyclone
• tropical fish
• tropical oil
• tropical rainforest
• tropical sprue
• tropical storm

Rhymes for tropical

• topical
• intertropical
• microscopical
• neotropical
• subtropical

Kids Definition

tropical

adjective

trop·​i·​cal ˈträp-i-kəl 

: of, relating to, occurring in, or used in the tropics

tropically

-k(ə-)lē 

adverb