— topically , adv.
/top"i keuhl/ , adj.
1. pertaining to or dealing with matters of current or local interest: a topical reference.
2. pertaining to the subject of a discourse, composition, or the like.
3. of a place; local.
4. Med. of, pertaining to, or applied externally to a particular part of the body; local: a topical anesthetic.
n.
5. Philately. any of a collection of different stamps treating the same subject.
[ 1580-90; topik ( ós ) local, pertaining to commonplaces (see TOPO-, -IC) + -AL 1 ]