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
- hypertonicity noun
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
What is most likely to happen if Paramecia are moved from a hypertonic solution to solutions of decreasing osmolarity?
From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022
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
In a hypertonic solution, water leaves a cell and the cell shrinks.
From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022
In a hypertonic solution the red blood cells retract and fall to the bottom of the glass, the rapidity with which they are deposited depending on the amount of retraction.
From The Mechanism of Life by Leduc, Stéphane
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.
