Advertisement
Advertisement
tropic
1[trop-ik]
noun
Geography.
either of two corresponding parallels of latitude on the terrestrial globe, one tropic of Cancer about 23½° N, and the other tropic of Capricorn about 23½° S of the equator, being the boundaries of the Torrid Zone.
the tropics, the regions lying between and near these parallels of latitude; the Torrid Zone and neighboring regions.
Astronomy.either of two circles on the celestial sphere, one lying in the same plane as the tropic of Cancer, the other in the same plane as the tropic of Capricorn.
adjective
of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or occurring in the tropics; tropical.
romance under the tropic skies of Old Mexico.
-tropic
2a combining form with the meanings “turned toward, with an orientation toward” that specified by the initial element (geotropic ), “having an affinity for, affecting” what is specified (lipotropic; neurotropic; psychotropic ), “affecting the activity of, maintaining” a specified organ (gonadotropic ).
tropic
1/ ˈٰɒɪ /
noun
(sometimes capital) either of the parallel lines of latitude at about 23 1/ 2 °N ( tropic of Cancer ) and 23 1/ 2 °S ( tropic of Capricorn ) of the equator
(often capital) that part of the earth's surface between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn; the Torrid Zone
astronomy either of the two parallel circles on the celestial sphere having the same latitudes and names as the corresponding lines on the earth
adjective
a less common word for tropical
-tropic
2combining form
turning or developing in response to a certain stimulus
heliotropic
tropic
Either of the two parallels of latitude representing the points farthest north and south at which the Sun can shine directly overhead. The northern tropic is the Tropic of Cancer and the southern one is the Tropic of Capricorn.
tropics. The region of the Earth lying between these latitudes. The tropics are generally the warmest and most humid region of the Earth.
Also called Torrid Zone
Other 51Թ Forms
- nontropic adjective
- untropic adjective
51Թ History and Origins
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of tropic1
Origin of tropic2
Example Sentences
At the beginning of March, southerly winds brought warmer air up from the tropics to bring above average temperatures across the UK.
But Miocene-style hydrological or water cycles favor high altitude wind events, like cyclones and hurricanes, that transport heat and moisture evaporating from the tropics to higher latitudes, or California’s intense seasonal rainstorms.
Located in the tropics, north Queensland is vulnerable to destructive cyclones, storms, and flooding.
They are concerned that the ocean currents that bring warm water from the tropics to the North Atlantic could weaken - or even collapse - in response to climate change.
The storms coming from the tropics are warm, and it’s uncertain how much additional snow they will bring, Reising said.
Advertisement
When To Use
The combining form -tropic is used like a suffix for a variety of meanings. It can indicate “turned toward, with an orientation toward” something specified by the first part of the word. This sense of -tropic is especially used in biology and botany.It can also denote “having an affinity for, affecting” a specified thing or “affecting the activity of, maintaining” an organ. Here, it can be synonymous with -trophic, which you can learn more about at our 51Թs That Use article for the form. This sense of -tropic is especially used in biochemistry and physiology.Closely related to -tropic is -tropous. The combining forms -tropy and -tropism are used to form abstract nouns from concrete nouns using -tropous and -tropic (and vice versa).Where does -tropic come from?The form -tropic comes from the Greek suffix -tropos, meaning “pertaining to a turn." This suffix is based on ٰóos, “turn," and ٰDZḗ, "a turning.”The Greek ٰóos is also the source of trope, tropical, and yes, the word tropic itself. It’s your turn to make the connection between “turning,” figures of speech, and the tropics at our entries for the words.Corresponding forms of -tropic combined to the beginning of words are tropo- and trop-. Discover their specific applications of our 51Թs That Use articles for the forms.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse