isotonic

[ ahy-suh-ton-ik ]

adjective
  1. Also isosmotic. Physical Chemistry. noting or pertaining to solutions characterized by equal osmotic pressure.: Compare hypertonic (def. 2), hypotonic (def. 2).

  2. Physiology.

    • noting or pertaining to a solution containing the same salt concentration as mammalian blood.

    • noting or pertaining to a muscular contraction in which constant tension continues while the length of the muscle decreases, as during mechanical work.

  1. Music. of or characterized by equal tones.

Origin of isotonic

1
1820–30; <Greek isóton(os) having equal accent or tone (see iso-, tone) + -ic

Other words from isotonic

  • i·so·to·nic·i·ty [ahy-suh-tuh-nis-i-tee], /ˌaɪ sə təˈnɪs ɪ ti/, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for isotonic

isotonic

/ (ˌaɪsəʊˈtɒnɪk) /


adjective
  1. physiol (of two or more muscles) having equal tension

  2. (of a drink) designed to replace the fluid and salts lost from the body during strenuous exercise

  1. Also: isosmotic (of two solutions) having the same osmotic pressure, commonly having physiological osmotic pressure: Compare hypertonic, hypotonic

  2. music of, relating to, or characterized by the equal intervals of the well-tempered scale: isotonic tuning

Derived forms of isotonic

  • isotonicity (ˌaɪsəʊtəʊˈnɪsɪtɪ), noun

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