Energic

Energic is an adjective derived from energy, used to describe things relating to energy, activity, or the performance of work. In contemporary scientific writing, energic is relatively uncommon on its own; more precise terms such as energetic, energy-related, or energetics are typically preferred depending on the context.

When used, energic generally signals involvement of energy transfer, production, or consumption rather than referring to a specific biological receptor or chemical class. For example, one might speak of energic processes in cells to denote pathways tied to metabolism and ATP production, or of energic budgets in ecology to describe the energetic costs and gains of organisms. In pharmacology and physiology, however, terms like adrenergic, cholinergic, or metabolic are usually better choices, and energic remains ambiguous without additional specification.

Etymology traces energic to energy and the suffix -ic, with the sense of relating to activity or work. The related noun energetics denotes the study or management of energy flows, especially in physical systems, biology, or economics, and energetically describes something involving high energy or vigorous activity. Because energic can be vague, it is best used sparingly and with clear context to avoid confusion with energetic, energetics, or energy-related terminology.

See also: energetic, energy, energetics, energy metabolism, adrenergic, cholinergic.