tropic

tropic
\ \ [14] The etymological notion underlying the word tropic is of ‘turning’, and the reason for its application to the hot regions of the world is that the two lines of latitude which bound them (the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn) mark the points at which the sun reaches its zenith at the solstices and then ‘turns’ back. The word comes via Latin tropicus from Greek tropikós, a derivative of tropé ‘turning’ (source also of English trophy and related to the second syllable of contrive).
\ \ Cf.⇒ CONTRIVE, TROPHY, TROUBADOUR

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Tropic — (Ривсальт,Франция) Категория отеля: Адрес: Avenue Gustave Eiffel, 66600 Ривсальт, Франция …   Каталог отелей

  • tropić — {{/stl 13}}{{stl 8}}cz. ndk VIIb, tropićpię, tropićpi, tropićpiony {{/stl 8}}– wytropić {{/stl 13}}{{stl 8}}dk VIIb {{/stl 8}}{{stl 20}} {{/stl 20}}{{stl 12}}1. {{/stl 12}}{{stl 7}} śledzić, szukać tropów zwierzyny podczas łowów : {{/stl 7}}{{stl …   Langenscheidt Polski wyjaśnień

  • tropic — [träp′ik] n. [ME tropik < LL tropicus < Gr tropikos, belonging to a turn (of the sun at the solstices) < tropē: see TROPE] 1. Astron. either of two circles of the celestial sphere parallel to the celestial equator, one, the Tropic of… …   English World dictionary

  • Tropic — Trop ic, n. [F. tropique, L. tropicus of or belonging to a turn, i. e., of the sun, Gr. ? of the solstice, ? (sc. ?) the tropic or solstice, fr. ? to turn. See {Trope}.] 1. (Astron.) One of the two small circles of the celestial sphere, situated… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Tropic — Pueblo de los Estados Unidos …   Wikipedia Español

  • Tropic — Trop ic, a. Of or pertaining to the tropics; tropical. [1913 Webster] {Tropic bird} (Zo[ o]l.), any one of three species of oceanic belonging to the genus {Pha[ e]thon}, found chiefly in tropical seas. They are mostly white, and have two central… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Tropic — Tropic, UT U.S. town in Utah Population (2000): 508 Housing Units (2000): 206 Land area (2000): 8.380698 sq. miles (21.705908 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.021682 sq. miles (0.056155 sq. km) Total area (2000): 8.402380 sq. miles (21.762063 sq. km) …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Tropic, UT — U.S. town in Utah Population (2000): 508 Housing Units (2000): 206 Land area (2000): 8.380698 sq. miles (21.705908 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.021682 sq. miles (0.056155 sq. km) Total area (2000): 8.402380 sq. miles (21.762063 sq. km) FIPS code …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • tropic — ► NOUN 1) the parallel of latitude 23°26 north (tropic of Cancer) or south (tropic of Capricorn) of the equator. 2) (the tropics) the region between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. 3) Astronomy each of two corresponding circles on the… …   English terms dictionary

  • Tropic — Trop ic, a. [Atropine + ic.] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained from atropine and certain other alkaloids, as a white crystalline substance slightly soluble in water. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • tropic — late 14c., either of the two circles in the celestial sphere which describe the northernmost and southernmost points of the ecliptic, from L.L. tropicus of or pertaining to the solstice (as a noun, one of the tropics ), from L. tropicus… …   Etymology dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”