Standard Lemma guide

tonic

adj · noun · verb · 23 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈtɒnɪk/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈtɑ.nɪk/
  • rhymes with -ɒnɪk
  • CMU ARPABET: T AA1 N IH0 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Pertaining to tension, especially of the muscles.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: medicine, natural-sciences, pathology, physical-sciences, physics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Restorative; curative; or invigorating.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

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

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

In a state of continuous unremitting action.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: medicine, neuroscience, sciences

Examples

  • Peter Redgrave (2007) Basal ganglia. Scholarpedia, 2(6):1825. GABAergic neurones in the basal ganglia output nuclei have high tonic firing rates (40-80 Hz).

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Pertaining to or based upon the first note of a diatonic scale.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Pertaining to the accent or stress in a word or in speech.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

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.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A substance with medicinal properties intended to restore or invigorate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

Examples

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

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

Tonic water.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

Any of various carbonated, non-alcoholic beverages; soda pop.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, dated, uncountable, usually

Qualifier: Eastern Massachusetts

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

Someone or something that revitalises or reinvigorates.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

The first note of a diatonic scale; the keynote.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

The triad built on the tonic note.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

noun

Meaning 13

A tonic element or letter; a vowel or a diphthong.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, phonetics, phonology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

verb

Meaning 14

To restore or invigorate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

adjective

Meaning 15

used of syllables

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a tonic syllables carries the main stress in a word

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: accented

Antonyms: atonic

16

adjective

Meaning 16

employing variations in pitch to distinguish meanings of otherwise similar words

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Chinese is a tonal language

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tonal

Antonyms: none provided

17

adjective

Meaning 17

of or relating to or producing normal tone or tonus in muscles or tissue

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a tonic reflex
  • tonic muscle contraction

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

18

adjective satellite

Meaning 18

imparting vitality and energy

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the bracing mountain air

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bracing, brisk, fresh, refreshing, refreshful

Antonyms: none provided

19

adjective satellite

Meaning 19

relating to or being the keynote of a major or minor scale

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • tonic harmony

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

20

noun

Meaning 20

a medicine that strengthens and invigorates

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: restorative

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: medicine, medication, medicament, medicinal drug

Narrower terms: bracer, pick-me-up

21

noun

Meaning 21

(music) the first note of a diatonic scale

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: keynote

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: note, musical note, tone

Narrower terms: C

22

noun

Meaning 22

a sweet drink containing carbonated water and flavoring

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • in New England they call sodas tonics

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pop, soda, soda pop, soda water

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: soft drink

23

noun

Meaning 23

lime- or lemon-flavored carbonated water containing quinine

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tonic water, quinine water

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: soft drink

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ten- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *tónos Proto-Hellenic *tónos Ancient Greek τόνος (tónos) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Hellenic *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) Ancient Greek -ικός (-ikós) Ancient Greek τονῐκός (tonĭkós) English tonic From 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. By surface analysis, ton(e) + -ic.

From tone + -ic.

Across languages

Translations

55 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: jännittynyt — pertaining to tension
  • German: tonisch — pertaining to tension
  • Bulgarian: тонизиращ (tonizirašt) — curative
  • Finnish: parantava — curative
  • German: anregend — curative
  • German: belebend — curative
  • German: kräftigend — curative
  • German: stärkend — curative
  • Portuguese: tónico — curative
  • Portuguese: tônico — curative
  • Spanish: tónico — curative
  • Chinese Mandarin: 補品 /补品 (bǔpǐn) — substance
  • Chinese Mandarin: 補藥 /补药 (bǔyào) — substance
  • Finnish: virkiste — substance
  • French: tonique — substance
  • French: tonic — substance
  • German: Kräftigungsmittel — substance
  • German: Stärkungsmittel — substance
  • German: Elixier — substance
  • German: Tonikum — substance
  • German: Tonic — substance
  • Japanese: トニック (tonikku) — substance
  • Korean: 토닉 (tonik) — substance
  • Manx: aaghleaysheyder — substance
  • Manx: jough laynt — substance
  • Manx: jough lheeys — substance
  • Manx: reeneyder — substance
  • Portuguese: tónico — substance
  • Portuguese: tônico — substance
  • Russian: то́ник (tónik) — substance
  • Spanish: tónico — substance
  • Turkish: tonik — substance
  • Finnish: piristysruiske — figuratively: something that reinvigorates
  • German: erfrischend — figuratively: something that reinvigorates
  • German: belebend — figuratively: something that reinvigorates
  • Portuguese: tónico — figuratively: something that reinvigorates
  • Portuguese: tônico — figuratively: something that reinvigorates
  • Chinese Mandarin: 主音 (zhǔyīn) — first note of a scale
  • Dutch: tonica — first note of a scale
  • Dutch: grondtoon — first note of a scale
  • Finnish: toonika — first note of a scale
  • Finnish: perussävel — first note of a scale
  • French: tonique — first note of a scale
  • North Frisian: Grüntoon — first note of a scale
  • West-Frisian: grûntoan — first note of a scale
  • German: Tonika — first note of a scale
  • German: Grundton — first note of a scale
  • Italian: tonica — first note of a scale
  • Japanese: 主音 (shyuon) — first note of a scale
  • Māori: oro matua — first note of a scale
  • Portuguese: tónica — first note of a scale
  • Portuguese: tônica — first note of a scale
  • Russian: то́ника (tónika) — first note of a scale
  • Swedish: grundton — first note of a scale
  • German: Tonika — triad built on the tonic note
Real reading context

tonic in complete knowledge articles