adj · noun · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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UK:/ˈtɒp.ɪ.kəl/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɒpɪkəl
US:/ˈtɑ.pɪ.kəl/
New-Jersey:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɑpɪkəl
CMU ARPABET:T AA1 P AH0 K AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:T AA1 P IH0 K AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Relating to a particular topic or subject.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The book is divided into topical chapters.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Relating to a topic or subject of current interest.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Fair trade has become quite a topical issue.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Local to a particular place.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Applied to a localized part of the body.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: medicine, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: systemic
5
adj
Meaning 5
Applied externally (to the surface of the skin or eye).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: medicine, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adj
Meaning 6
Arranged according to topic or theme; thematic.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A substance, especially a medication, applied externally (to the surface of the skin or eye).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
A substance, especially a medication, applied externally (to the surface of the skin or eye).
A topical anaesthetic.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: medicine, pharmacology, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
A joke dealing with current events or topical subjects.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
A postage stamp depicting a particular theme or subject (such as birds or trains), potentially sought out by topical stamp collectors.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, philately
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
adjective
Meaning 11
of or relating to or arranged by topics
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a detailed record on both a chronological and a topical basis
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
adjective satellite
Meaning 12
of interest at the present time
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a topical reference
a topical and timely study of civil liberty
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
adjective satellite
Meaning 13
pertaining to the surface of a body part
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a drug for topical (or local) application
a topical anesthesia
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From topic + -al.
Across languages
Translations
72 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Finnish:
aiheenmukainen
— relating to a particular topic or subject
German:
themenbezogen
— relating to a particular topic or subject
German:
thematisch
— relating to a particular topic or subject
Spanish:
tópico
— relating to a particular topic or subject
Spanish:
temático
— relating to a particular topic or subject
Bulgarian:
актуа́лен
(aktuálen)
— of current interest
Bulgarian:
злободневен
(zlobodneven)
— of current interest
Chinese Mandarin:
有关时事的
— of current interest
Chinese Mandarin:
热门的
— of current interest
Dutch:
actueel
— of current interest
Esperanto:
aktuala
— of current interest
Finnish:
ajankohtainen
— of current interest
French:
d'actualité
— of current interest
German:
aktuell
— of current interest
German:
gegenwartsbezogen
— of current interest
German:
zeitgemäß
— of current interest
German:
gegenwartsnah
— of current interest
German:
gegenwartsrelevant
— of current interest
Hindi:
प्रासंगिक
(prāsaṅgik)
— of current interest
Hungarian:
aktuális
— of current interest
Hungarian:
időszerű
— of current interest
Indonesian:
aktual
— of current interest
Italian:
topico
— of current interest
Manx:
traaoil
— of current interest
Polish:
aktualny
— of current interest
Serbo-Croatian:
а̏ктуа̄лан
— of current interest
Serbo-Croatian:
ȁktuālan
— of current interest
Spanish:
de interés actual
— of current interest
Spanish:
de actualidad
— of current interest
Bulgarian:
местен
(mesten)
— local to a particular place
Chinese Mandarin:
地方的
— local to a particular place
Finnish:
paikallinen
— local to a particular place
French:
local
— local to a particular place
German:
örtlich (begrenzt)
— local to a particular place
Hebrew:
מקומי
— local to a particular place
Hungarian:
helyi
— local to a particular place
Italian:
topico
— local to a particular place
Portuguese:
tópico
— local to a particular place
Bulgarian:
локален
(lokalen)
— medicine: applied to a localized part of the body
Chinese Mandarin:
局部的
— medicine: applied to a localized part of the body
Chinese Mandarin:
外用的
— medicine: applied to a localized part of the body
Finnish:
paikallinen
— medicine: applied to a localized part of the body
French:
topique
— medicine: applied to a localized part of the body
German:
örtlich
— medicine: applied to a localized part of the body
German:
topisch
— medicine: applied to a localized part of the body
German:
lokal
— medicine: applied to a localized part of the body
Hungarian:
helyi
— medicine: applied to a localized part of the body
Hungarian:
lokális
— medicine: applied to a localized part of the body
Italian:
topico
— medicine: applied to a localized part of the body
Occitan:
topic
— medicine: applied to a localized part of the body
Portuguese:
tópico
— medicine: applied to a localized part of the body
Russian:
насущный
(nasuščnyj)
— medicine: applied to a localized part of the body
Spanish:
tópico
— medicine: applied to a localized part of the body
Chinese Mandarin:
塗於身體表面的 /涂于身体表面的
— medicine: applied externally
Finnish:
ulkoinen
— medicine: applied externally
Finnish:
ulkoisesti käytettävä
— medicine: applied externally
German:
äußerlich
— medicine: applied externally
German:
örtlich
— medicine: applied externally
German:
lokal
— medicine: applied externally
Hungarian:
lokális
— medicine: applied externally
Italian:
topico
— medicine: applied externally
Portuguese:
tópico
— medicine: applied externally
Chinese Mandarin:
题目的
— arranged according to topic or theme
Chinese Mandarin:
论题的
— arranged according to topic or theme
Finnish:
aiheenmukainen
— arranged according to topic or theme
Finnish:
temaattinen
— arranged according to topic or theme
German:
thematisch
— arranged according to topic or theme
Hungarian:
téma szerinti
— arranged according to topic or theme
Hungarian:
tematikus
— arranged according to topic or theme
Hungarian:
tárgy szerinti
— arranged according to topic or theme
Italian:
topico
— arranged according to topic or theme
Ukrainian:
тематичний
(tematyčnyj)
— arranged according to topic or theme