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90s Slang You Should Know

topical

[top-i-kuh l] /ˈtɒp ɪ kəl/
adjective
1.
pertaining to or dealing with matters of current or local interest:
a topical reference.
2.
pertaining to the subject of a discourse, composition, or the like.
3.
of a place; local.
4.
Medicine/Medical. of, relating to, or applied externally to a particular part of the body; local:
a topical anesthetic.
noun
5.
Philately. any of a collection of different stamps treating the same subject.
Origin of topical
1580-1590
1580-90; < Greek topik(ós) local, pertaining to commonplaces (see topo-, -ic) + -al1
Related forms
topically, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2017.
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Examples from the Web for topical
Contemporary Examples
Historical Examples
  • He insisted on singing two more, with topical and impromptu verses of his own.

    The Boss of Taroomba E. W. Hornung
  • To relieve this, Dr. Templeton resorted to topical bleeding.

  • It is true that he jokes; but wherever he is he has topical jokes, one might almost say family jokes.

    George Bernard Shaw Gilbert K. Chesterton
  • In topical discussions the facts should be stated in a logical order.

    College Teaching Paul Klapper
  • Of the performance I remember a topical song which evoked enthusiastic applause.

    The Message Alec John Dawson
British Dictionary definitions for topical

topical

/ˈtɒpɪkəl/
adjective
1.
of, relating to, or constituting current affairs
2.
relating to a particular place; local
3.
of or relating to a topic or topics
4.
(of a drug, ointment, etc) for application to the body surface; local
Derived Forms
topicality (ˌtɒpɪˈkælɪtɪ) noun
topically, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word Origin and History for topical
adj.

1580s, from topic + -al (1). Medical sense is from c.1600. Meaning "of or pertaining to topics of the day" is from 1873.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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topical in Medicine

topical top·i·cal (tŏp'ĭ-kəl)
adj.
Of or applied to a definite or localized area of the body.


top'i·cal·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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