chromatic

[ kroh-mat-ik, kruh- ]

adjective

1. pertaining to color or colors.
2. Music.
   1. involving a modification of the normal scale by the use of accidentals.
   2. progressing by semitones, especially to a tone having the same letter name, as in C to C sharp.

chromatic

/ krəˈmætɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characterized by a colour or colours
2. music
   1. involving the sharpening or flattening of notes or the use of such notes in chords and harmonic progressions
   2. of or relating to the chromatic scale or an instrument capable of producing it

      a chromatic harmonica

   3. of or relating to chromaticism Compare diatonic

chromatic

/ krō-măt′ĭk /

1. Relating to color or colors.

Derived Forms

• chroˈmaticism, noun
• chroˈmatically, adverb

Other Words From

• chro·mati·cal·ly adverb
• nonchro·matic adjective
• nonchro·mati·cal·ly adverb
• unchro·matic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of chromatic¹

1590–1600; < Greek chrōmatikós, equivalent to chrōmat- ( chromato- ) + -ikos -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of chromatic¹

C17: from Greek khrōmatikos, from khrōma colour

Example Sentences

If you’re doodling on a page and you draw a linear hypergraph, its chromatic index will probably be far less than its number of vertices.

From Quanta Magazine

While Erdős, Faber and Lovász knew about these three extreme hypergraphs, they didn’t know if there were any others that also have the maximum chromatic index.

From Quanta Magazine

Complete graphs with an odd number of vertices have the maximum chromatic index allowed by the Erdős-Faber-Lovász conjecture.

From Quanta Magazine

The conjecture predicts that the chromatic index of a linear hypergraph is never more than its number of vertices.

From Quanta Magazine

If you slightly modify one of the three extreme hypergraphs, the result will typically also have the maximum chromatic index.

From Quanta Magazine

Inside the bus, the walls are plastered with famous figures over swirls of chromatic paint.

From The Daily Beast

If the genus is Chromatic, as M. Ruelle is disposed to think, they are g-a-a♯-b-d-e-f.

From Project Gutenberg

Along with this change we have to note the comparative disuse of the Enharmonic and Chromatic divisions of the tetrachord.

From Project Gutenberg

The outlines of things under these rainbow-tinted undulations produced the chromatic effects of optical glasses made too convex.

From Project Gutenberg

It contains nothing notable, except perhaps the descending chromatic successions of chords of the sixth.

From Project Gutenberg

Observe now the chromatic variety and beauty produced by intelligent horticulture!

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bright
• flashy
• gaudy
• hued
• multicolored
• rich
• splashy
• vibrant
• vivid