1
: either of the two parallels of terrestrial latitude at a distance of about 23¹/₂ degrees north or south of the equator where the sun is directly overhead when it reaches its most northerly or southerly point in the sky compare tropic of cancer, tropic of capricorn
2
: of, relating to, or occurring in the tropics
tro·pic
ˈtrō-pik 
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of tropism or of a tropism
2
of a hormone
: influencing the activity of a specified gland
1
: turning, changing, or tending to turn or change in a (specified) manner or in response to a (specified) stimulus
geotropic
2
: attracted to or acting upon (something specified)
neurotropic
Examples of tropic in a Sentence
Noun
a vacation in the tropics
Recent Examples on the Web
Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
What To Know In its latest global tropics hazards outlook, covering September 10-16 and September 17-23, the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) indicated at least a 20 percent chance of cyclone formation, at least of tropical depression strength, in the Florida, Gulf, and Caribbean region.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
And as the overall global temperature increases, moisture-rich air that was once confined to the warm tropics can reach farther from the equator, bringing intense, tropical rainfall to more parts of the world.
—Tyler Ory, CNN Money, 10 July 2025
Commonly found in the wet tropics of Queensland, cassowaries can be fearsome to encounter.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 25 June 2025
The research is vital in filling in the missing data for the Australasian tropics, an area understudied compared to the Americas, Africa and Southeast Asia.
—Bronwyn Thompson, New Atlas, 25 May 2025
According to a new study published in Geophysical Research Letters, this extreme snowfall event can be explained by atmospheric rivers — narrow bands in the atmosphere that carry moisture and heat outside of Earth’s tropics.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025
Another new study, published in Science on Dec. 5, investigates declining low-cloud cover in the northern mid-latitudes and tropics that could be causing increased warming rates.
—Andrew Freedman, Axios, 9 Dec. 2024
Courtesy of Luke Auld-Thomas et al/Cambridge University Press Archaeologists increasingly recognize that the world's tropics and subtropics hosted a wide variety of urban forms in antiquity.
—Anna Lagos, WIRED, 30 Oct. 2024
Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 30 Apr. 2025
Tree Hut tropic glow sugar scrub: on sale for $8.04 (30% off)
Original price: $11.49
(Ulta)
Use this sugar scrub from Tree Hut to remove dull, dry skin to reveal glowing, soft, smooth skin.
—Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2025
In the grueling six-month course, the former high school track star trained in remote forest, desert, coastal, tropic and open ocean environments — and mastered first aid and hand-to-hand combat.
—Dawn Klavon, People.com, 7 Mar. 2025
Savor a massage in the gorgeous tropic gardens at the spa or choose to enjoy them indoors.
—Robin Raven, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas on Monday as a Category 1 before weakening into a tropic storm.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 9 July 2024
After a total of nine hours under the waves, two men with chattering teeth were able to emerge from their frigid craft into bright sunshine, blue skies and tropic heat.
—William J. Broad, New York Times, 18 Nov. 2023
For long hours Monday, gray clouds seemed to presage rain, and the damp air seemed to enhance the sultry sense of tropic life.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 4 July 2023
The engine that powers every tropic cyclone is convection: enormous volumes of moist, rising air create a vacuum at the surface that sucks in surrounding air as spiraling winds.
—Martin J. Kernan, Scientific American, 1 June 2023
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Noun
The low pressure system traveled up from Southern California and brought monsoon moisture from the sub-tropics, Gass said.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
What To Know In its latest global tropics hazards outlook, covering September 10-16 and September 17-23, the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) indicated at least a 20 percent chance of cyclone formation, at least of tropical depression strength, in the Florida, Gulf, and Caribbean region.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
And as the overall global temperature increases, moisture-rich air that was once confined to the warm tropics can reach farther from the equator, bringing intense, tropical rainfall to more parts of the world.
—Tyler Ory, CNN Money, 10 July 2025
Commonly found in the wet tropics of Queensland, cassowaries can be fearsome to encounter.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 25 June 2025
The research is vital in filling in the missing data for the Australasian tropics, an area understudied compared to the Americas, Africa and Southeast Asia.
—Bronwyn Thompson, New Atlas, 25 May 2025
According to a new study published in Geophysical Research Letters, this extreme snowfall event can be explained by atmospheric rivers — narrow bands in the atmosphere that carry moisture and heat outside of Earth’s tropics.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025
Another new study, published in Science on Dec. 5, investigates declining low-cloud cover in the northern mid-latitudes and tropics that could be causing increased warming rates.
—Andrew Freedman, Axios, 9 Dec. 2024
Courtesy of Luke Auld-Thomas et al/Cambridge University Press Archaeologists increasingly recognize that the world's tropics and subtropics hosted a wide variety of urban forms in antiquity.
—Anna Lagos, WIRED, 30 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Offered on a steel bracelet, NATO strap, or tropic rubber strap with a pin buckle or deployant clasp, this is a non-limited model that will now be part of the brand’s permanent collection.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 30 Apr. 2025
Tree Hut tropic glow sugar scrub: on sale for $8.04 (30% off)
Original price: $11.49
(Ulta)
Use this sugar scrub from Tree Hut to remove dull, dry skin to reveal glowing, soft, smooth skin.
—Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2025
In the grueling six-month course, the former high school track star trained in remote forest, desert, coastal, tropic and open ocean environments — and mastered first aid and hand-to-hand combat.
—Dawn Klavon, People.com, 7 Mar. 2025
Savor a massage in the gorgeous tropic gardens at the spa or choose to enjoy them indoors.
—Robin Raven, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas on Monday as a Category 1 before weakening into a tropic storm.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 9 July 2024
After a total of nine hours under the waves, two men with chattering teeth were able to emerge from their frigid craft into bright sunshine, blue skies and tropic heat.
—William J. Broad, New York Times, 18 Nov. 2023
For long hours Monday, gray clouds seemed to presage rain, and the damp air seemed to enhance the sultry sense of tropic life.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 4 July 2023
The engine that powers every tropic cyclone is convection: enormous volumes of moist, rising air create a vacuum at the surface that sucks in surrounding air as spiraling winds.
—Martin J. Kernan, Scientific American, 1 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Tropic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tropic. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tropic
1 of 3 noun
trop·ic
ˈträp-ik
1
: either of the two parallels of the earth's latitude that are approximately 23½ degrees north of the equator and approximately 23½ degrees south of the equator
2
plural often capitalized
: the region lying between the two tropics
tropic
2 of 3 adjective
: tropical
tropic
3 of 3 adjective
tro·pic
ˈtrō-pik
: of, relating to, or being a tropism
a tropic movement of a plant
Etymology
Noun
Middle English tropik (noun) "either of the points at which the sun appears furthest from the equator," from Latin tropicus (adjective) "of a solstice or equinox," from Greek tropikos (same meaning), from tropē "turn"; so called because a tropic marks the turning point in the sun's apparent path up the sky
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