Trop"ic , a. Of or pertaining to the tropics; tropical.
Tropic bird (Zoöl.), any one of three
species of oceanic belonging to the genus
Phaëthon, found chiefly in tropical seas. They are mostly white, and have two central tail feathers very long and
slender. The yellow-billed tropic bird. Phaëthon
flavirostris (called also boatswain), is found on the
Atlantic coast of America, and is common at
the Bermudas, where it breeds.
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
on each side of the equator, at a
distance of 23° 28&min;,
and parallel to it, which the sun just
reaches at its greatest declination north or south, and
from which it turns again toward the equator, the northern circle being called the Tropic of Cancer, and the southern the Tropic of Capricorn, from the names of the two signs
at which they touch the ecliptic.
2. (Geog.) (a)
One of the two parallels of terrestrial latitude corresponding to the celestial tropics, and called by the same names. (b) pl. The region lying between these parallels of latitude, or near them
on either side.
The
brilliant flowers of the tropics bloom from the windows of the greenhouse and the saloon.
Bancroft.
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.
Hear it pronounced