hypertonic

H4Y4P3E1R1T1O1N1I1C3

adjective

Having a greater osmotic pressure than another.

Opposite
hypotonicisotonic
OriginEnglish tonic ← Ancient Greek τονῐκός (tonĭkós) ← Proto-Hellenic *tónos →
UncommonScrabble 20
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Meanings

adjectivehypertonic (comparative more hypertonic, superlative most hypertonic)

comparative more hypertonic · superlative most hypertonic

  1. Having a greater osmotic pressure than another.
  2. anatomyHaving a very high muscular tension; spastic.

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
hypotonic

adjective(of living tissue) in a state of abnormally high tension

Opposite
hypotonic

adjective(of a solution) having a higher osmotic pressure than a comparison solution

Opposite
hypotonicisotonic

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*úp
  2. Proto-Indo-European*upér
  3. Proto-Hellenic*hupér
  4. Ancient Greekῠ̔πέρ (hŭpér)
  5. Ancient Greekῠ̔περ- (hŭper-)
  6. Englishhyper-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*ten-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*tónos
  9. Proto-Hellenic*tónos
  10. Ancient Greekτόνος (tónos)
  11. Ancient Greekτονῐκός (tonĭkós)
  12. Englishtonic
  13. Englishhypertonic

From hyper- + tonic.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 高渗
  • 高渗 (gāoshèn)having a greater osmotic pressure
Czech hypertonický
  • hypertonickýhaving a greater osmotic pressure
German hyperton, hypertonisch
  • hypertonhaving a greater osmotic pressure
  • hypertonischhaving a greater osmotic pressure
Irish hipeartonach
  • hipeartonachhaving a greater osmotic pressure
Russian гипертони́ческий
  • гипертони́ческий (gipertoníčeskij)having a greater osmotic pressure

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

hypocretin
Cite this entry
APA

hypertonic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypertonic

MLA

“hypertonic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypertonic. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hypertonic,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypertonic.

Source: hypertonic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.