chronic

[ kron-ik ]

adjective

1. constant; habitual; inveterate:

   a chronic liar.

   Synonyms: hardened, confirmed

2. continuing a long time or recurring frequently:

   a chronic state of civil war.

3. having long had a disease, habit, weakness, or the like:

   a chronic invalid.

4. (of a disease) having long duration ( acute ).

noun

1. Slang. cronic ( def ).

chronic

/ krɒˈnɪsɪtɪ; ˈkrɒnɪk /

adjective

1. continuing for a long time; constantly recurring
2. (of a disease) developing slowly, or of long duration Compare acute
3. inveterate; habitual

   a chronic smoker

4. informal.
   1. very bad

      the play was chronic

   2. very serious

      he left her in a chronic condition

chronic

/ krŏn′ĭk /

1. Relating to an illness or medical condition that is characterized by long duration or frequent recurrence. Diabetes and hypertension are chronic diseases.
2. Compare acute

Derived Forms

• chronicity, noun
• ˈchronically, adverb

Other Words From

• chron·i·cal·ly adverb
• chro·nic·i·ty [kro-, nis, -i-tee], noun
• non·chron·ic adjective
• non·chron·i·cal adjective
• sub·chron·ic adjective
• sub·chron·i·cal adjective
• un·chron·ic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of chronic¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin chronicus, from Greek chronikós, equivalent to chrón(os) “time” + -ikos -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of chronic¹

C15: from Latin chronicus relating to time, from Greek khronikos, from khronos time

Example Sentences

Even with lifelong ART treatment, the virus remains latent in reservoirs throughout the body that can reactivate at any time, and over the long-term, these reservoirs can contribute to chronic inflammation and comorbidities.

From Science Daily

Health researchers have faulted numerous factors for that disparity, including inequities in healthcare, chronic conditions and structural racism.

From Los Angeles Times

If inflammation becomes chronic, however, it can do lasting damage.

From Science Daily

Together, Trump said in his statement, the two men would take on “the illness industrial complex, and all the horrible chronic diseases left in its wake.”

From Los Angeles Times

The most common problems include chronic headaches, difficulty swallowing and decreased muscle strength, as well as syringomyelia, a condition that occurs when a cyst forms in the spinal cord.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• constant
• continual
• continuing
• continuous
• deep-rooted
• deep-seated
• habitual
• incurable
• lifelong
• lingering
• persistent
• protracted
• recurrent
• recurring
• sustained