hypotonic

adjective

hy·​po·​ton·​ic ˌhī-pə-ˈtä-nik 

-pō-

1

: having deficient tone or tension

hypotonic children

2

: having a lower osmotic pressure than a surrounding medium or a fluid under comparison

hypotonic organisms

hypotonicity

ˌhī-pə-tə-ˈni-sə-tē 

-pō-

noun

Examples of hypotonic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On the contrary, a hypotonic pelvic floor is when the muscles are flaccid and not very reactive. —Mónica Heras, Vogue, 20 Aug. 2025

On Tuesday, the Real Housewives of Orange County alum, 36, recounted a heartbreaking story on Instagram involving her 3-year-old son Hart, who was diagnosed with hypotonic cerebral palsy last October. —Georgia Slater, PEOPLE.com, 8 Sep. 2021

Less than two months after The Lancet publication, Latta performed the first therapeutic intravenous resuscitation in May of 1832 with infusions of a homemade solution, a watery hypotonic mix of sodium, chloride, and bicarbonate. —Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2016

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hypotonic

• anharmonic
• anionic
• avionic
• catatonic
• cationic
• chorionic
• cosmogonic
• diachronic
• diatonic
• electronic
• embryonic
• excitonic

Medical Definition

hypotonic

adjective

hy·​po·​ton·​ic ˌhī-pə-ˈtän-ik, -pō- 

1

: having deficient tone or tension

hypotonic children

2

: having a lower osmotic pressure than a surrounding medium or a fluid under comparison

a hypotonic solution

compare hypertonic sense 2, isotonic sense 1

hypotonically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb