hypertonic
Americanadjective
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Physiology. of or relating to hypertonia.
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Physical Chemistry. noting a solution of higher osmotic pressure than another solution with which it is compared (opposed to hypotonic).
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hypertonic
First recorded in 1850–55; hyperton(ia) + -ic
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Vocabulary lists containing hypertonic
Cell Biology - High School
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Chemistry - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Andrew has hypertonic cerebral palsy, which means he suffers from tightening muscles and regular spasms.
From BBC ● Apr. 22, 2024
In fact, the cytoplasm in plants is always slightly hypertonic to the cellular environment, and water will always enter a cell if water is available.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
The processes of diffusion, osmosis, and active transport ensure that the urine excreted from the body is hypertonic, thus preventing dehydration.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
Hypotonic, isotonic, and hypertonic are types of sports drinks.
From Textbooks ● Dec. 21, 2021
If in the saline solution we place a coloured isotonic drop between two coloured hypertonic drops, all the figures and movements of karyokinesis appear successively in their due order.
From The Mechanism of Life by Stéphane Leduc
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
