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isotonic

American  
[ahy-suh-ton-ik] / ˌaɪ səˈtɒn ɪk /

adjective

  1. Physical Chemistry. Also noting or pertaining to solutions characterized by equal osmotic pressure.

  2. Physiology.

    1. noting or pertaining to a solution containing the same salt concentration as mammalian blood.

    2. noting or pertaining to a muscular contraction in which constant tension continues while the length of the muscle decreases, as during mechanical work.

  3. Music. of or characterized by equal tones.


isotonic British  
/ ˌaɪsəʊˈtɒnɪk, ˌaɪsəʊtəʊˈnɪsɪtɪ /

adjective

  1. physiol (of two or more muscles) having equal tension

  2. (of a drink) designed to replace the fluid and salts lost from the body during strenuous exercise

  3. Also: isosmotic.  (of two solutions) having the same osmotic pressure, commonly having physiological osmotic pressure Compare hypertonic hypotonic

  4. music of, relating to, or characterized by the equal intervals of the well-tempered scale

    isotonic tuning

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • isotonicity noun

Etymology

Origin of isotonic

1820–30; < Greek isóton ( os ) having equal accent or tone ( iso-, tone ) + -ic

Vocabulary lists containing isotonic

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.

In order to prevent hemolysis of red blood cells in the blood, drugs are typically formulated in an isotonic solution with the blood to maintain osmolarity.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Hypotonic, isotonic, and hypertonic are types of sports drinks.

From Textbooks • Dec. 21, 2021

At equilibrium, the solutions are isotonic, meaning “same strength.”

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2018

However, muscle tension also is generated when the muscle is contracting against a load that does not move, resulting in two main types of skeletal muscle contractions: isotonic contractions and isometric contractions.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Between isotonic solutions the surface is plane, whilst it is curved between solutions of different osmotic pressures, the convexity being directed towards the hypertonic solution.

From The Mechanism of Life by Leduc, Stéphane