-tropic

suffix

Turning or changing.

“psycho- (“mind”) + -tropic (“altering”) → psychotropic (“mind-altering”)”

OriginAncient Greek τροπῐκός (tropĭkós) ← Proto-Indo-European *trep- →
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Meanings

suffix
  1. sciencesTurning or changing.
  2. sciencesAffecting or attracted to the thing specified.

    psycho- (“mind”) + -tropic (“altering”) → psychotropic (“mind-altering”)

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*trep-
  2. Ancient Greekτρέπω (trépō)
  3. Ancient Greekτροπή (tropḗ)
  4. Ancient Greekτροπῐκός (tropĭkós)
  5. English-tropic

Borrowed from Ancient Greek τροπικός (tropikós, “of or pertaining to a turn or change; or the solstice; or a trope or figure; tropic; tropical; etc.”), from τροπή (tropḗ, “turn; solstice; trope”). Compare trope and tropic.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Irish -trópach, -trópach
  • -trópachturning or changing
  • -trópachaffecting or attracted to the thing specified
Polish -tropiczny, -tropiczny
  • -tropicznyturning or changing
  • -tropicznyaffecting or attracted to the thing specified
Cite this entry
APA

-tropic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-tropic

MLA

“-tropic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-tropic. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-tropic,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-tropic.

Source: -tropic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.