hypotonic

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UK/hʌɪpə(ʊ)ˈtɒnɪk/US/haɪpəˈtɑnɪk/US/haɪpoʊˈtɑnɪk/

adjective

Having a lower osmotic pressure than another.

Opposite
hypertonicisotonic
OriginEnglish tonic ← Ancient Greek τονῐκός (tonĭkós) ← Proto-Hellenic *tónos →
UncommonScrabble 19
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Meanings

adjectivehypotonic (comparative more hypotonic, superlative most hypotonic)

comparative more hypotonic · superlative most hypotonic

  1. Having a lower osmotic pressure than another.
  2. medicineShowing less than normal tension in the muscles or muscle tissue.

    But always he went the full length, crying until he was completely exhausted, worn out, hypotonic.

    1983, Lawrence Durrell, Sebastian (Avignon Quintet), Faber & Faber, published 2004, page 1053

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
hypertonic

adjective(of living tissue) lacking normal tone or tension

Opposite
hypertonic

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

Opposite
isotonichypertonic

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*upó
  2. Ancient Greekῠ̔πό (hŭpó)
  3. Ancient Greekὑπο- (hupo-)
  4. Englishhypo-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*ten-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*tónos
  7. Proto-Hellenic*tónos
  8. Ancient Greekτόνος (tónos)
  9. Ancient Greekτονῐκός (tonĭkós)
  10. Englishtonic
  11. Englishhypotonic

From hypo- + tonic.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 低渗
  • 低渗 (dīshèn)having a lower osmotic pressure than another
Czech hypotonický
  • hypotonickýhaving a lower osmotic pressure than another
German hypoton, hypotonisch
  • hypotonhaving a lower osmotic pressure than another
  • hypotonischhaving a lower osmotic pressure than another
Portuguese hipotônico, hipotónico
  • hipotônicohaving a lower osmotic pressure than another
  • hipotónicohaving a lower osmotic pressure than another
Russian гипотони́ческий
  • гипотони́ческий (gipotoníčeskij)having a lower osmotic pressure than another
Turkish hipotonik
  • hipotonikhaving a lower osmotic pressure than another

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

typhoonic
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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