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.
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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, chronicDictionary.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
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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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