tonic
pronunciation
How to pronounce tonic in British English:
UK [ˈtɒnɪk]
How to pronounce tonic in American English:
US [ˈtɑnɪk]
-
- Noun:
- lime- or lemon-flavored carbonated water containing quinine
- a sweet drink containing carbonated water and flavoring
- (music) the first note of a diatonic scale
- a medicine that strengthens and invigorates
-
- Adjective:
- of or relating to or producing normal tone or tonus in muscles or tissue
- employing variations in pitch to distinguish meanings of otherwise similar words
- used of syllables
- relating to or being the keynote of a major or minor scale
- imparting vitality and energy
Word Origin
- tonic (n.1)
- "a tonic medicine," 1799, from tonic (adj.). From 1873 (in gin and tonic) as short for tonic water (1861 as a commercial product, water infused with quinine), so called because held to aid digestion and stimulate appetite.
- tonic (adj.)
- 1640s, "relating to or characterized by muscular tension," from Greek tonikos "of stretching," from tonos "a stretching" (see tenet). The meaning "maintaining the healthy firmness of tissues" is recorded from 1680s, first extended 1756 to "having the property of restoring to health." Related: Tonical (1580s).
- tonic (n.2)
- in the musical sense, 1760, short for tonic note, from tone (n.) in the musical sense + -ic. Related: Tonicity.
Example
- 1. The mere possibility of chinese support was a tonic for european markets .
- 2. Inflation is not a panacea . But it is a useful tonic .
- 3. Growth is the magic tonic that has helped china cope with the myriad of economic problems it faces .
- 4. But when things are normal a man should be healthy without a tonic and happy without a theory .
- 5. That is presumably tonic to the real culprit for the hunger , the chubby dear leader , kim jong il .