Webster's English Dictionary

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tropic

Cross references:
  1. tropic of cancer       2. tropic of capricorn   
 
1. trop.ic \'tra:p-ik\ n [ME tropik, fr. L tropicus of the solstice, fr. Gk 
   tropikos,]fr. trope- turn 1: either of the two small circles of the 
   celestial sphere on each side of  and parallel to the equator at a distance 
   of 231/2 degrees which the sun reaches at its greatest declination north or 
   south 2a: either of the two parallels of terrestrial latitude corresponding 
   to th e celestial tropics pl, often cap  2b: the region lying between these 
   parallels of latitude 
2. tropic aj : of, relating to, or occurring in the tropics : TROPICAL 
3. tropic aj [trop-] 1: of, relating to, or characteristic of tropism or of 
   a tropism  of a hormone  2: influencing the activity of a specified gland