英文字典中文字典Word104.com

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

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 on each side of the equator, at a
distance of 23[deg] 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.
[1913 Webster]

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.
[1913 Webster]

The brilliant flowers of the tropics bloom from
the windows of the greenhouse and the saloon.
--Bancroft.
[1913 Webster]


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]


Tropic \Trop"ic\, a.
Of or pertaining to the tropics; tropical.
[1913 Webster]

{Tropic bird} (Zool.), any one of three species of oceanic
belonging to the genus {Phaethon}, found chiefly in
tropical seas. They are mostly white, and have two central
tail feathers very long and slender. The yellow-billed
tropic bird. {Phaethon flavirostris} (called also
{boatswain}), is found on the Atlantic coast of America,
and is common at the Bermudas, where it breeds.
[1913 Webster]