tonic

¹

[ton-ik]

noun

1. a medicine that invigorates or strengthens.

   a tonic of sulphur and molasses.

2. anything invigorating physically, mentally, or morally.

   His cheerful greeting was a real tonic.

   Synonyms: pickup, bracer, restorative, stimulant

3. quinine water.

4. Music.,  the first degree of the scale; the keynote.

5. Chiefly Eastern New England.,  soda pop.

6. Phonetics.,  a tonic syllable or accent.

adjective

1. pertaining to, maintaining, increasing, or restoring the tone or health of the body or an organ, as a medicine.

2. invigorating physically, mentally, or morally.

3. Physiology, Pathology.

   1. pertaining to tension, as of the muscles.

   2. marked by continued muscular tension.

      a tonic spasm.

4. using differences in tone or pitch to distinguish between words that are otherwise phonemically identical.

   a tonic language.

5. pertaining to tone or accent in speech.

6. Phonetics.,  (of a syllable) bearing the principal stress or accent, usually accompanied by a change in pitch.

7. Music.

   1. of or relating to a tone or tones.

   2. pertaining to or founded on the keynote, or first tone, of a musical scale.

      a tonic chord.

-tonic

²

1. a combining form occurring in adjectives that correspond to nouns ending in -tonia:

   catatonic.

tonic

/ ˈtɒnɪk /

noun

1. a medicinal preparation intended to improve and strengthen the functioning of the body or increase the feeling of wellbeing

2. anything that enlivens or strengthens

   his speech was a tonic to the audience

3. Also called: tonic water. a mineral water, usually carbonated and containing quinine and often mixed with gin or other alcoholic drinks

4. music

   1. the first degree of a major or minor scale and the tonal centre of a piece composed in a particular key

   2. a key or chord based on this

5. a stressed syllable in a word

adjective

1. serving to enliven and invigorate

   a tonic wine

2. of or relating to a tone or tones

3. music of or relating to the first degree of a major or minor scale

4. of or denoting the general effect of colour and light and shade in a picture

5. physiol of, relating to, characterized by, or affecting normal muscular or bodily tone

   a tonic spasm

6. of or relating to stress or the main stress in a word

7. denoting a tone language

Other Word Forms

• tonically adverb
• antitonic adjective
• nontonic adjective
• pretonic noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tonic¹

First recorded in 1640–50, tonic is from the Greek word tonikós pertaining to stretching or tones. See tone, -ic

Origin of tonic²

tonic

Word History and Origins

Origin of tonic¹

C17: from New Latin tonicus, from Greek tonikos concerning tone, from tonos _tone

Example Sentences

Erewhon said it plans to open a tonic bar within an exclusive West Village members’ club later this fall.

From Los Angeles Times

The sun shone as Everton fans gathered around the stadium after this landmark win, the ideal start and just the tonic after a desperate performance in defeat at Elland Road.

From BBC

The look of confusion and distrust she shot across our gin and tonics and bar fries was a more hostile response than I would’ve preferred, but when she explained herself, the reaction became clearer.

From Salon

"We thought he had thrown it away…but it was an unbelievable finish. I'm going home for a gin and tonic."

From BBC

Santa Monica’s Erewhon grocery store closed its tonic bar after finding cockroaches in the facility, the company said Thursday.

From Los Angeles Times