tonic
noun
a medicine that invigorates or strengthens.
Jump to:
tonic
1 American
[ton-ik]
/ ˈtɒn ɪk /
noun
-
a medicine that invigorates or strengthens.
a tonic of sulphur and molasses.
-
anything invigorating physically, mentally, or morally.
His cheerful greeting was a real tonic.
- Synonyms:
- pickup, bracer, restorative, stimulant
-
Music. the first degree of the scale; the keynote.
-
Chiefly Eastern New England. soda pop.
-
Phonetics. a tonic syllable or accent.
adjective
-
pertaining to, maintaining, increasing, or restoring the tone or health of the body or an organ, as a medicine.
-
invigorating physically, mentally, or morally.
-
Physiology, Pathology.
-
pertaining to tension, as of the muscles.
-
marked by continued muscular tension.
a tonic spasm.
-
-
using differences in tone or pitch to distinguish between words that are otherwise phonemically identical.
a tonic language.
-
pertaining to tone or accent in speech.
-
Phonetics. (of a syllable) bearing the principal stress or accent, usually accompanied by a change in pitch.
-
Music.
-tonic
2
American
tonic
British
/ ˈtɒnɪk /
noun
-
a medicinal preparation intended to improve and strengthen the functioning of the body or increase the feeling of wellbeing
-
anything that enlivens or strengthens
his speech was a tonic to the audience
-
Also called: tonic water. a mineral water, usually carbonated and containing quinine and often mixed with gin or other alcoholic drinks
-
music
-
the first degree of a major or minor scale and the tonal centre of a piece composed in a particular key
-
a key or chord based on this
-
-
a stressed syllable in a word
adjective
-
serving to enliven and invigorate
a tonic wine
-
of or relating to a tone or tones
-
music of or relating to the first degree of a major or minor scale
-
of or denoting the general effect of colour and light and shade in a picture
-
physiol of, relating to, characterized by, or affecting normal muscular or bodily tone
a tonic spasm
-
of or relating to stress or the main stress in a word
-
denoting a tone language
Regionalisms
See soda pop.
Other Word Forms
- antitonic adjective
- nontonic adjective
- pretonic noun
- tonically adverb
Etymology
Origin of tonic1
First recorded in 1640–50, tonic is from the Greek word tonikós pertaining to stretching or tones. See tone, -ic
Origin of -tonic2
see origin at tonic
Explanation
A tonic is something, sometimes a medicine, that makes you feel better or restores you to health. Before doctors prescribed drugs, crooked salesmen sold all sorts of dubious tonics. Tonic was used to describe all sorts of concoctions that were supposed to make you feel better or livelier. Some helped and some didn’t. Coca Cola was originally marketed as a tonic — back when it is said to have contained cocaine as well as loads of caffeine. These days we might describe a weekend at the beach or a brisk walk as a tonic, meaning it will refresh you. Others might flee to a gin and tonic — an alcoholic drink.
Vocabulary lists containing tonic
"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Matilda
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
You have a lot of cooks and a lot of pots, and you don’t want to get burned in this way again, even if the $300,000 is the perfect tonic.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026
Constellation has pushed into faster-growing categories, including low-alcohol offerings like hard seltzers and nonalcoholic drinks such as Hiyo, a botanical-infused tonic.
From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026
“Believe it or not, you can also use tonic water because it has quinine,” he continues.
From Salon • Jan. 18, 2026
The outlook, a good tonic for our dangerously fractious times, is worth recovering.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025
I was now among my fellow accused, and the company of my colleagues was a tonic.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.