tonus

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the normal continuous tension or readiness of living muscles, arteries, or other tissue

   The frightened animal showed increased tonus in its skeletal muscles.

2. 2
   noun

   a mode or tonal system in Gregorian chant

   The melody follows the traditional tonus assigned to the text.

Borrowed from Latin tonus ("tension, tone"), from Ancient Greek tonos ("stretching, pitch"). It is a learned doublet of tone and preserves specialized physiological and musical uses.

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