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)
Synonyms of tropicalnext
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 How to pronounce tropical (audio)
ˈtrō-
adverb

Synonyms of tropical

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
SoCal likely in the clear A red blob on the hurricane center's forecast map well south of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula represents a developing tropical system, one that some models show could eventually impact California. — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 On the ground floor, in the VR game Dash-180c, 2026, viewers adopt the first-person perspective of a drone, which takes them to an overgrown, tropical, post-human 3D universe ruled by monkeys—more funereal than fun. — Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026 The development of Marie comes amid an unusually active hurricane season in the eastern Pacific, likely related to El Niño and record-setting ocean temperatures in the tropical ocean. — Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 There's a 70% chance of tropical formation, and tropical storm alerts may be issued later on Monday. — Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tropical

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

Phrases Containing tropical

Rhymes for tropical

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Browse Nearby Words

-tropic
tropical
tropical air
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Cite this Entry

“Tropical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tropical. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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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
-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce tropical (audio)
adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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