What is a tropical cyclone?

Technically, a tropical cyclone is a rotating area of low pressure that has certain characteristics. One of the main characteristics is that there are no frontal systems ociated with it, and that it's core temperatures is warmer than the surrounding environment (known as a warm core low). It also has organized convection around a well defined center. Hurricanes, Tropical storms, and Tropical depressions are all types of tropical cyclones.