Tonic (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Relating to or being the keynote of a major or minor scale; "tonic harmony".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Related Words
Meaning 2
Imparting vitality and energy; "the bracing mountain air".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Synonyms
Meaning 3
(used of syllables) bearing the principle stress, usually accompanied by a change in pitch; "a tonic syllables carries the main stress in a word".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Meaning 4
Employing variations in pitch to distinguish meanings of otherwise similar words; "Chinese is a tonal language".
Classification
Relational adjectives (pertainyms).
Examples
- Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language, which means that the same word can have different meanings based on the tone used to pronounce it.
- The difference in meaning is entirely dependent on the pitch used, and the language is said to be a high-tonal language.
- Linguists distinguish between four main tones and one neutral tone in the standard tone system of the language.
- The rules of the language require that speakers master the correct production of the complex tones to accurately convey their intended message.
- Non-native speakers of Chinese often find the tones the most challenging aspect to master in becoming proficient in the language.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 5
Of or relating to or producing normal tone or tonus in muscles or tissue; "a tonic reflex"; "tonic muscle contraction".
Classification
Relational adjectives (pertainyms).