Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having a higher osmotic pressure than a comparison solution: In biology and chemistry, this describes a solution that has a greater concentration of solutes compared to another solution, typically separated by a semipermeable membrane.
   • In a state of abnormally high tension: In physiology and medicine, this describes living tissue, especially muscle, that exhibits excessive or abnormal tension or tone.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • Seawater is hypertonic to the fluids in most fish, so they must actively regulate their water balance.
  • The doctor noted the patient's hypertonic muscles, which were rigid and painful to the touch.

Advanced Usage

• Scientific Context: The term is often used in comparative structures (e.g., "hypertonic to" or "hypertonic relative to") when discussing osmosis and cellular environments.
  • A cell placed in a hypertonic solution will lose water and shrivel.
• Medical Context: Used to describe a clinical condition of increased muscle tone.
  • Hypertonic cerebral palsy is characterized by stiff, tight muscles.

Variants and Related Words

• Hypertonicity (noun): The state or condition of being hypertonic.
  • The hypertonicity of the solution caused rapid dehydration of the cells.
• Hypotonic (adjective): The opposite state; having a lower osmotic pressure than a comparison solution or exhibiting abnormally low muscle tension.
• Isotonic (adjective): Having equal osmotic pressure.

Synonyms

• Concentrated (for solutions, though less precise).
• Spastic or rigid (for muscles, in a medical context, though these describe the effect rather than the state of tension itself).

Related Phrases

• Hypertonic saline: A specific medical solution with a higher salt concentration than normal bodily fluids, used for certain treatments.
  • Hypertonic saline is administered intravenously to treat severe hyponatremia.

Adjective

1. (of a solution) having a higher osmotic pressure than a comparison solution
2. (of living tissue) in a state of abnormally high tension
   • hypertonic muscle tissue