chrom-

1. a combining form meaning “color,” used in the formation of compound words:

   chromhydrosis.

2. Chemistry.
   1. a combining form used in the names of chemical compounds in which chromium is present.
   2. a combining form that, when prefixed to the name of a chemical compound, denotes its colored form.

Word History and Origins

Origin of chrom-¹

The Greek word chrôma “color” ( chroma ) underlies chrom- def 1; chrom- def 2 is derived from chromium

Example Sentences

Few of the crofters have ploughs; they work their crofts by means of the "cas-chrom" (see illustration).

From Project Gutenberg

Words That Use Chrom-

What does chrom- mean?

Chrom- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “color.” In chemistry, chrom- specifically indicates a substance that contains chromium or a colored form of a substance.

Chrom- comes from the Greek chrôma, meaning “color” and is the source of the words chroma and chrome, among many others. The chemical element chromium is so named for colorful compounds the metal can form.

What are variants of chrom-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a consonant, chrom- becomes chromo-, as in chromosome.

A corresponding form of chrom- combined to the end of words is -chrome, as in polychrome.

Closely related to chrom- are the combining forms chromato– and chromat–.

Examples of chrom-

An example of a word you may have encountered that features chrom- is chromhidrosis, a medical term for secreting pigmented sweat.

The first part of the word, chrom-, means “color.” The second part, -hidrosis, refers to “sweat,” from the Greek hídrōsis. Chromhidrosis, then, literally translates to “colored sweat.”

What are some words that use or are related to the combining form chrom-?

• chromate
• chromaffin
• chromesthesia
• chromic
• chrominance
• chromite
• chromyl

What are some other forms that chrom- may be commonly confused with?

• chemo-
• chemi-
• chiro-
• chir-
• chloro-
• chlor-
• chrono-
• chron-
• chorio-
• chori-

Break it down!

Chromesthesia is a condition in which another sensation, such as taste or smell, is stimulated by perceiving what?