iónico

Ionico is a Spanish adjective with several related meanings depending on the context. It can refer to ions in chemistry or to Ionia, the ancient Greek region, its inhabitants, dialects, and cultural aspects.

In chemistry, iónico describes substances, bonds, or processes that involve ions. An enlace iónico is the attraction between oppositely charged ions, typically formed between a metal and a non-metal. Ionic compounds, such as salts, consist of crystalline lattices of cations and anions and generally have high melting points. In solution or molten state, ionic species conduct electricity.

In historical and geographical usage, iónico refers to Ionia, a region of the ancient Greek world located along parts of the western coast of Asia Minor and the nearby Aegean islands. It is associated with the Greek dialect known as the iónico (Ionian Greek) and with cultural and artistic currents linked to that area. In architecture and classical art, the familiar Spanish term for the architectural order is jónico rather than iónico, though historical and linguistic texts may occasionally encounter the latter in reference to Ionian styles.

In linguistics and literature, the term iónico frequently appears in expressions such as griego iónico to denote the Ionian dialect of ancient Greek or its literature. In music theory, the term Ionian mode is commonly translated as modo mayor in Spanish, with the standard term used being modo jónico.