What does intertropical mean?
Intertropical is an adjective describing the equatorial belt between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. It can refer either to a geographical location in this zone or to the tropical weather and atmospheric conditions characteristic of it. The term is especially common in meteorology, climatology, and oceanography, where it appears in expressions such as “intertropical convergence zone,” the broad atmospheric zone where the trade winds meet and where powerful thunderstorms frequently develop. In general writing, “tropical” or “equatorial” may sound more natural, but “intertropical” is useful when the precise location between the two tropics matters. It should not be confused with “subtropical,” which describes areas just outside the tropical zone rather than the zone itself.
adjectiveSituated between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, or within the equatorial region of the Earth. The term is also used for regions characterized by tropical conditions lying between the two tropics.
- Located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, especially around the equator.
- Characterized by the tropical climate or atmospheric conditions found in this equatorial region.
"The intertropical convergence zone is where the trade winds converge near the equator."
"The intertropical convergence zone produces heavy rainfall over much of the equatorial Pacific."
"Researchers studied how intertropical storms affect coastal ecosystems."
The intertropical zone is the belt around Earth where converging trade winds create the atmospheric conditions that power many of the planet's tropical storms.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does intertropical come from?
Intertropical combines the Latin-derived prefix inter-, meaning “between,” with tropical, which comes through French from Latin tropicus, from Greek tropikos, meaning “of the tropics.” The term developed as a geographical and meteorological label for the region between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Its relatives include tropic, tropics, tropical, and subtropical, all connected with the same Greek and Latin roots.
How intertropical is actually used
This is a specialized geographical and meteorological term. It is less common in everyday speech than 'tropical' or 'equatorial' and is usually used in formal or scientific contexts.
Easily confused with intertropical
Intertropical means lying between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, whereas subtropical means lying immediately outside the tropics.