tonic
adjective
- pertaining to the first note of a diatonic scale
noun
- (music) tonal center of a diatonic scale
- substance that revitalizes
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈtɒnɪk/ / /ˈtɑ.nɪk/
adj
Etymology: From tone + -ic.
- 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 (phonetics, dated) being or relating to a speech sound made with tone unmixed and undimmed by obstruction, i.e. a vowel or diphthong.
noun
Etymology: From tone + -ic.
- 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.
verb
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 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.
- To restore or invigorate.
“When all signs of effusion, dulness, pain, œgophony, and cough had disappeared he was dieted, stimulated, and tonicked.”
“The Persians, as a nation, were first to discover that fish were edible. The time is fixed at about 3000 B.C. This was their secret for some centuries—until the Assyrians learned about the elegance of fish for tonicking the brain.”