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Definition of Tonic
1. Noun. Lime- or lemon-flavored carbonated water containing quinine.
Terms within: Quinine
Substance meronyms: Gin And Tonic
Generic synonyms: Soft Drink
2. Adjective. Of or relating to or producing normal tone or tonus in muscles or tissue. "Tonic muscle contraction"
3. Noun. A sweet drink containing carbonated water and flavoring. "In New England they call sodas tonics"
Generic synonyms: Soft Drink
Terms within: Carbonated Water, Club Soda, Seltzer, Soda Water, Sparkling Water
4. Adjective. Employing variations in pitch to distinguish meanings of otherwise similar words. "Chinese is a tonal language"
5. Noun. (music) the first note of a diatonic scale.
Generic synonyms: Musical Note, Note, Tone
Specialized synonyms: C
Category relationships: Music
6. Adjective. Used of syllables. "A tonic syllables carries the main stress in a word"
7. Noun. A medicine that strengthens and invigorates.
Specialized synonyms: Bracer, Pick-me-up
Generic synonyms: Medicament, Medication, Medicinal Drug, Medicine
Derivative terms: Restorative, Restorative
8. Adjective. Relating to or being the keynote of a major or minor scale. "Tonic harmony"
9. Adjective. Imparting vitality and energy. "The bracing mountain air"
Similar to: Invigorating
Derivative terms: Freshness
Definition of Tonic
1. a. Of or relating to tones or sounds; specifically (Phon.), applied to, or distingshing, a speech sound made with tone unmixed and undimmed by obstruction, such sounds, namely, the vowels and diphthongs, being so called by Dr. James Rush (1833) " from their forming the purest and most plastic material of intonation."
2. n. A tonic element or letter; a vowel or a diphthong.
3. a. Characterized by continuous muscular contraction; as, tonic convulsions.
Definition of Tonic
1. something that invigorates or refreshes [n -S]
Medical Definition of Tonic
1. 1. Producing and restoring the normal tone. 2. Characterised by continuous tension. 3. A term formerly used for a class of medicinal preparations believed to have the power of restoring normal tone to tissue. Origin: Gr. Tonikos This entry appears with permission from the Dictionary of Cell and Molecular Biology (11 Mar 2008)