chrono

Chrono- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “time.” It is used in some scientific and medical terms.

Chrono- comes from the Greek chrónos, meaning “time.” The adjective chronic, meaning “constant” or “habitual,” also derives from this root.

What are variants of chrono-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, chrono- becomes chron-, as in chronaxie (using the French equivalent of the form).

You may be familiar with the combining form chrono- from the word chronology, meaning “the sequential order in which past events occur.”

The first part of the word, chrono-, means “time.” The second part of the word, -logy, often denotes an area of “discourse” or “study.” Chronology, then, literally means “study of time.”

What are some words that use the combining form chrono-?

• chronobiology
• chronogram
• chronograph
• chronoscope
• chronometer
• chronooncology
• chronopher
• chronotherapy
• chronotropic

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

• chloro-
• chromo-

The combining form -meter means “measure.” With this in mind, what does a chronometer measure?