polytonic

P3O1L1Y4T1O1N1I1C3
US/ˌpɑliˈtɑnɪk/UK/ˌpɒliˈtɒnɪk/

adjective

Having several tones.

Similar
polytonal
Opposite
monotonic
OriginEnglish tonic ← Ancient Greek τονῐκός (tonĭkós) ← Proto-Hellenic *tónos →
RareScrabble 16
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Meanings

adjectivepolytonic (comparative more polytonic, superlative most polytonic)

comparative more polytonic · superlative most polytonic

  1. Having several tones.

    Synonyms: polytonal

    1. Of or using the Greek system of diacritics which employs the rough and smooth breathings and the grave, acute, and circumflex accents. Replaced by the monotonic system in 1982.

      Synonyms: polytonal

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveHaving several tones.

Similar
polytonal

adjectiveOf or using the Greek system of diacritics which employs the rough and smooth breathings and the grave, acute, and circumflex accents. Replaced by the monotonic system in 1982.

Similar
polytonal
Opposite
monotonic
Also see
polytonal

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*pleh₁-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*polh₁ús
  3. Ancient Greekπολῠ́ς (polŭ́s)
  4. Englishpoly-
  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. Englishpolytonic

From poly- + tonic.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan politònic
  • politònichaving several tones
Dutch meertonig, meertonige
  • meertonigusing the Greek system of diacritics
  • meertonigeusing the Greek system of diacritics
French polytonique
  • polytoniqueusing the Greek system of diacritics
German vieltönig, polytonisch
  • vieltönighaving several tones
  • polytonischhaving several tones
Greek πολυτονικός
  • πολυτονικός (polytonikós)using the Greek system of diacritics
Italian politonico
  • politonicousing the Greek system of diacritics
Spanish politónico
  • politónicousing the Greek system of diacritics

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with polytonic

electronicchronicsonicharmonicmonophonicionicironicultrasonictonicmasonicsymphonicsupersoniciconicdemoniccolonicmnemonicbionicplatonicmonotonichydroponichadronicplanktonicphoniccarbonic
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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