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tropic

Tropic refers to a geographic concept as well as to a broad set of uses in proper nouns. In geography, the tropics denote the region between the Tropic of Cancer at about 23.5 degrees north and the Tropic of Capricorn at about 23.5 degrees south. Within this band the sun can be directly overhead at solar noon at least once during the year, and the climate tends to be warm year round. The term and its plural “tropics” are commonly used in climatology, ecology, and geography to describe this zone and its characteristic environments, such as tropical rainforests and savannas.

The word tropic derives from Greek tropikos, from tropos meaning “turn” or “way,” reflecting historical observations

In addition to its geographic meaning, Tropic also appears in various proper nouns. It is used in

of
the
sun’s
position
in
the
sky.
The
Latin
form
tropicus
entered
English
in
the
early
modern
period,
and
today
the
term
is
used
in
geography,
climatology,
and
related
fields
to
describe
the
band
and
its
climate.
the
titles
of
well-known
works
such
as
Tropic
of
Cancer
and
Tropic
of
Capricorn
by
Henry
Miller.
Contemporary
entities
that
use
the
term
include
Tropic
Skincare,
a
UK-based
company,
and
Tropic
Air,
a
Belizean
airline.
The
word’s
broad
association
with
tropical
regions
underlies
these
and
other
usages.