tonic

Meanings

Adjective

• Pertaining to tension, especially of muscles.
• Restorative, curative or invigorating.
• Pertaining to or based upon the first note of a diatonic scale.
• Pertaining to the accent or stress in a word or in speech.
• Of or relating to tones or sounds; specifically being or relating to a speech sound made with tone unmixed and undimmed by obstruction, i.e. a vowel or diphthong.

Noun

• A substance with medicinal properties intended to restore or invigorate.
• Tonic water.
• Any of various carbonated, non-alcoholic beverages; soda pop.
• Someone or something that revitalises or reinvigorates.
• The first note of a diatonic scale; the keynote.
• The triad built on the tonic note.
• A tonic element or letter; a vowel or a diphthong.

Origin

• From Ancient Greek τονικός, from τόνος. 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.
• From tone + -ic.