rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: -ic
English

-ic

connected with or characteristic of

Forms

  • -ic

Origin

Through French and Latin -icus from Greek -ikos.

Note

It can indicate a field, a material, a resemblance, or a tendency; it has no single literal meaning in every word.

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noun / adjective

tonic

The first note of a musical scale, serving as its tonal center.

The melody comes to rest on the tonic.

Etymology
tonGreektension, pitch, or tone
+icEnglishconnected with or characteristic of

The Greek word developed a musical meaning of tone. The tonic is the governing tone that establishes the home position of a scale or key.

More examples

  • In C major, C is the tonic.
  • The teacher played the tonic chord before the exercise.
  • The final phrase returned to the tonic.

Forms

tonic · tonics

Similar words

keynote
Another name for the tonal center or first note of a scale.
root
The foundation of a chord, which need not be the scale's first note.