adj
topical
TOP-ih-kuhl
adj
1
Relating to a subject that is currently of interest or in the news.
"The comedian's set was full of topical jokes about the election."
2
Applied directly to the skin or a specific part of the body, rather than taken internally.
"The doctor prescribed a topical cream for the rash."
"A topical anaesthetic numbed the area before the injection."
How to Use Topical
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither "about current events" or, in medicine, "applied to the surface of the skin."
Common mistake
Don't confuse the medical sense (a topical cream, applied to skin) with "tropical" (relating to hot climates) — they look similar but mean very different things.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
topical cream
topical humour
topical issue
Word Forms
more topical comparative, topicals plural, most topical superlative
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The comedian's set was full of _____ jokes about the election.
Etymology
From "topic" plus the adjective ending "-al".