# tropical

/ˈtɹɑpɪkəɫ/ (US) · /tɹˈɒpɪkəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tropical
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. climate and geography

adjective · CEFR B1

coming from or typical of the hottest parts of the world near the equator.

For teachers: pertaining to the tropics, the equatorial region between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, or characteristic of a hot and humid climate.

- The island is famous for its beautiful tropical birds and lush green forests.
- The region's tropical climate is characterized by high humidity and significant rainfall throughout the year, supporting a vast array of biodiversity.

### 2. mathematics

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

a special kind of math used in geometry and computer science where you add numbers instead of multiplying them.

For teachers: relating to tropical geometry or tropical semirings, where the standard operations of addition and multiplication are replaced by 'minimum' and 'addition'.

- The researcher used tropical geometry to solve a complex problem in computer science.
- Tropical geometry provides a powerful framework for translating problems in algebraic geometry into a combinatorial setting using the tropical semiring.

Usage: Usually modifies nouns like 'geometry', 'algebra', or 'analysis'.

Teaching tip: This is a highly specialized term in discrete mathematics; the name 'tropical' was coined in honor of the Brazilian mathematician Imre Simon.

### 3. figurative language

adjective · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Formal

using words in a way that is not literal, like a metaphor.

For teachers: pertaining to or involving tropes; used in a figurative or metaphorical sense rather than a literal one.

- The poet used tropical language to describe the sunset as a golden crown.
- The critic argued that the author's tropical style obscured the underlying message of the essay through excessive use of metaphor.

Teaching tip: This sense is rarely encountered in modern English outside of 19th-century literature or specialized rhetorical studies.

### 4. a plant

noun · CEFR B2

a plant that naturally grows in a hot, wet climate.

For teachers: a plant species indigenous to or characteristic of the tropics.

- The greenhouse was filled with colorful tropicals that couldn't survive the cold winter outside.
- The botanical garden features a dedicated pavilion for tropicals, maintaining the high temperatures required for the orchids and ferns to thrive.

Usage: Often used in the plural when referring to a collection of plants.

## Examples

- The island is famous for its beautiful tropical beaches.
- Many tropical plants require high humidity and consistent warmth to survive indoors during the winter months.
- The sudden shift in atmospheric pressure brought a tropical storm system that battered the coastline with unprecedented rainfall and high-velocity winds.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.