tonic

English

Alternative forms

• tonick (obsolete)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɒnɪk/
• Rhymes: -ɒnɪk

Etymology 1

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Ancient Greek τονικός (tonikós), from τόνος (tónos). 17th century writers believed health to be derived from firmly stretched muscles, thus tonic; the extension of tonic medicine appeared in the late 18th century. Surface analysis as classical compound: tone +‎ -ic.

Adjective

tonic (comparative more tonic, superlative most tonic)

1. (physics, pathology) Pertaining to tension, especially of muscles.
   • 2009, Thomas Pynchon, Inherent Vice, Vintage 2010, p. 316:

     Out in front and across the street, Doc noted half a dozen or so young men, not loitering or doing substances but poised and tonic, as if waiting for some standing order to take effect.

2. Restorative, curative or invigorating.

   The arrival of the new members had a tonic effect on the team.

Translations

pertaining to tension

• Finnish: jännittynyt
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

curative

• Finnish: parantava (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: tónico (pt) (Portugal), tônico (pt) (Brazil)
• Spanish: tónico (es)

Noun

tonic (plural tonics)

1. A substance with medicinal properties intended to restore or invigorate.

   We used to brew a tonic from a particular kind of root.

2. Tonic water.
3. (US, Massachusetts) Any of various carbonated, non-alcoholic beverages; soda pop.
4. (figuratively) Someone or something that revitalises or reinvigorates.
   • 2011, Cathy Kelly, She's the One

     'You're a tonic, Dee,' she said. 'And a real friend. Thanks.'

   • 2011 February 5, Paul Fletcher, “Newcastle 4 - 4 Arsenal”, in BBC‎^[1]:

     The result is the perfect tonic for Newcastle, coming at the end of a week that saw the departure of Andy Carroll to Liverpool on Monday and an injury to Shola Ameobi during Wednesday's defeat at Fulham.

Translations

substance

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 補品／补品 (zh) (bǔpǐn), 补品 (zh) (bǔpǐn), 補藥／补药 (zh) (bǔyào), 补药 (zh) (bǔyào)

• Finnish: virkiste (fi)
• French: tonique (fr) f, tonic (fr) m
• German: Tonic m
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: トニック (tonikku)
• Korean: 토닉 (tonik)
• Manx: aaghleaysheyder m, jough laynt f, jough lheeys f, reeneyder m
• Portuguese: tónico (pt) m (Portugal), tônico (pt) m (Brazil)
• Russian: то́ник (ru) m (tónik)
• Spanish: tónico (es) m

tonic water — see tonic water

soda pop — see soda pop

figuratively: something that reinvigorates

• Finnish: piristysruiske
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: tónico (pt) (Portugal), tônico (pt) (Brazil)

Etymology 2

From tone +‎ -ic.

Adjective

tonic (not comparable)

1. (music) Pertaining to or based upon the first note of a diatonic scale.
2. Pertaining to the accent or stress in a word or in speech.
3. Of or relating to tones or sounds; specifically (phonetics, dated) being or relating to a speech sound made with tone unmixed and undimmed by obstruction, i.e. a vowel or diphthong.

Noun

tonic (plural tonics)

1. (music) The first note of a diatonic scale; the keynote.
2. (music) The triad built on the tonic note.
3. (phonetics) A tonic element or letter; a vowel or a diphthong.

Related terms

• tonal center

Translations

first note of a scale

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 主音 (zh) (zhǔyīn)

• Finnish: toonika (fi), perussävel (fi)
• French: tonique (fr) f
• Italian: tonica (it) f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: 主音 (shyuon)
• Maori: oro matua
• Portuguese: tónica (pt) f (Portugal), tônica f (Brazil)
• Russian: то́ника (ru) f (tónika)
• Swedish: grundton (sv) c

Anagrams

• ontic

---

French

Etymology

Borrowed from English tonic, from tonic water

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tɔ.nik/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Homophones: tonics, tonique, toniques

Noun

tonic m (plural tonics)

1. drink made up mainly of cinchona
2. tonic water

Further reading

• “tonic”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.