Etymology

tonic

ton·ic
T1O1N1I1C3

Today it means: Pertaining to tension, especially of the muscles. Full definition →

Ancient Greek τονῐκός (tonĭkós) ← Proto-Hellenic *tónos ← Proto-Indo-European *tónos
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tonic · adjective, noun, verb1

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ten-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*tónos
  3. Proto-Hellenic*tónos
  4. Ancient Greekτόνος (tónos)
  5. Ancient Greekτονῐκός (tonĭkós)
  6. English todaytonic

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.

tonic · adjective, noun2

From tone + -ic.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.