| word | topical |
|---|---|
| definition | (1) Designed for local application to or treatment of a bodily part. (2) Referring to the topics of the day. |
| eg_sentence | If the topical ointment doesn't work on the rash, the doctor will prescribe an antibiotic pill. |
| explanation | Like a topical medicine, a topical reference or story applies to something specific, focusing on a topic that's currently in the news. TV comedians often use topical humor, making jokes about a currently popular movie or the latest political scandal—if possible, one that just broke that same day. Topical humor has a short lifespan, though, because the news keeps changing and the new hot topics just keep coming. The medical meaning of topical stays closer to the meaning of the root, since it describes something that's put right on the place that seems to need it. |
| IPA | ˈtɑpɪkəl |
Tags: mwvb::unit:16, mwvb::unit:16:word, mwvb::word, mwvb::word-cloze, mwvb::word-reverse, obsidian_to_anki
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