topical

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈtɑpɪkəl/ UK /ˈtɒpɪkəl/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
relating to current affairs; applied to a particular body part

The debate was highly topical, dominating every newspaper that week.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · relating to current... current timely contemporary relevant newsworthy local

Opposites

outdated irrelevant systemic general

Word family

Derived forms topicallytopicality

Etymology

From Latin topicus ('of commonplaces'), from Ancient Greek topikos ('pertaining to a place or topic'), from topos ('place'), with suffix -al.

topicus Latin τοπικός Ancient Greek τόπος Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# topical

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈtɑpɪkəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈtɒpɪkəl/

## Meanings
1. relating to current affairs; applied to a particular body part

## Examples
- The debate was highly topical, dominating every newspaper that week.

## Synonyms
- current
- timely
- contemporary
- relevant
- newsworthy
- local

## Antonyms
- outdated
- irrelevant
- systemic
- general

## Derived Forms
- topically
- topicality

## Related Forms
- topic
- topos

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: topicus
- Root: τοπικός
- Root: τόπος

## Etymology
From Latin topicus ('of commonplaces'), from Ancient Greek topikos ('pertaining to a place or topic'), from topos ('place'), with suffix -al.

## AI Etymology
Topical is from Latin topicus ('of commonplaces'), from Ancient Greek topikos ('pertaining to a place or topic'), from topos ('place'), with suffix -al. Important recorded forms include topicus (Latin), τοπικός (Ancient Greek), and τόπος (Ancient Greek). Morphologically, the ending or combining element adapts the older base to the present English part of speech while keeping the historical sense visible. The modern sense is largely compositional, with the historical elements narrowing into a stable English lexical item. In current use it covers relating to current affairs; applied to a particular body part. The wider family includes derived forms such as topically and topicality and related words such as topic and topos.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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