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chronic
[ kron-ik ]
/ ˈkrɒn ɪk /
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adjective
constant; habitual; inveterate: a chronic liar.
continuing a long time or recurring frequently: a chronic state of civil war.
having long had a disease, habit, weakness, or the like: a chronic invalid.
(of a disease) having long duration (opposed to acute).
noun
Slang. cronic.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Rarely chron·i·cal [kron-i-kuhl] /ˈkrɒn ɪ kəl/ .
Origin of chronic
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin chronicus, from Greek chronikós, equivalent to chrón(os) “time” + -ikos -ic
OTHER WORDS FROM chronic
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH chronic
acute, chronicWords nearby chronic
chromous, chromy, chromyl, chron-, chronaxie, chronic, chronically, chronic disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronicity, chronicle
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use chronic in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for chronic
chronic
/ (ˈkrɒnɪk) /
adjective
continuing for a long time; constantly recurring
(of a disease) developing slowly, or of long durationCompare acute (def. 7)
inveterate; habituala chronic smoker
informal
- very badthe play was chronic
- very serioushe left her in a chronic condition
Derived forms of chronic
chronically, adverbchronicity (krɒˈnɪsɪtɪ), nounWord Origin for chronic
C15: from Latin chronicus relating to time, from Greek khronikos, from khronos time
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for chronic
chronic
[ krŏn′ĭk ]
Relating to an illness or medical condition that is characterized by long duration or frequent recurrence. Diabetes and hypertension are chronic diseases. Compare acute.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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