tropic
tropic Lexical Profile
tropic Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The warm, humid geographical region of the Earth's surface lying between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, centered on the equator (usually used in the plural).
"Many migratory songbirds spend their winters in the lush forests of the tropics."
Either of two parallels of geographic latitude on the Earth, the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere, marking the northernmost and southernmost points at which the sun can be directly overhead.
"The expedition crossed the northern tropic just before the summer solstice."
• adjective
Of, relating to, or characteristic of the tropics; tropical.
"The sailors welcomed the warm tropic breeze after weeks in colder waters."
Relating to or exhibiting biological tropism, or denoting a hormone that stimulates the activity of another endocrine gland.
"The anterior pituitary releases several tropic hormones that regulate thyroid and adrenal function."
Word Nuance & Usage
As a geographical adjective, 'tropical' is far more common in modern English than 'tropic', though 'tropic' remains standard in biological contexts describing growth responses (tropisms) or hormones that stimulate other endocrine glands.
• Rhymes for tropic
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin 'tropicus' and Ancient Greek 'tropikos' ('of or pertaining to a turn or solstice'), from 'trope' ('a turning'), referring to the parallels of latitude where the sun appears to turn back at the solstices.