tropic
A tropic refers to one of two regions on Earth that get a lot of sunlight all year round. These areas are near the equator.
The word "tropic" can sound complicated because it's similar to "tropical", which means hot and humid, like Hawaii or Bali. But when we say "tropic", we're talking about the actual place on the globe where you find these tropical climates. In other words, it's a geographical term that refers specifically to one of two imaginary lines around the middle of our planet. The tropics are near the equator and have a pretty consistent climate year-round, with lots of sunlight.
How common is "tropic"?
It appears most frequently in magazine texts and less often in other writings.
adjective
of weather or climate
Example: hot and humid as in the tropics
adjective
relating to or situated in or characteristic of the tropics (the region on either side of the equator)
Example: tropical islands
noun
either of two parallels of latitude about 23.5 degrees to the north and south of the equator representing the points farthest north and south at which the sun can shine directly overhead and constituting the boundaries of the Torrid Zone or tropics
Real examples of "tropic" in context
