chromatic
Americanadjective
-
pertaining to color or colors.
-
Music.
-
involving a modification of the normal scale by the use of accidentals.
-
progressing by semitones, especially to a tone having the same letter name, as in C to C sharp.
-
adjective
-
of, relating to, or characterized by a colour or colours
-
music
-
involving the sharpening or flattening of notes or the use of such notes in chords and harmonic progressions
-
of or relating to the chromatic scale or an instrument capable of producing it
a chromatic harmonica
-
of or relating to chromaticism Compare diatonic
-
Other Word Forms
- chromatically adverb
- chromaticism noun
- nonchromatic adjective
- nonchromatically adverb
- unchromatic adjective
Etymology
Origin of chromatic
1590–1600; < Greek chrōmatikós, equivalent to chrōmat- ( chromato- ) + -ikos -ic
Compare meaning
How does chromatic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Since it operated without the pouches of chromatic gel that Samaras had previously manipulated, he employed double exposures, colored lights, and paint to alter his images.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026
Not so much by the delightfully odd “Space Babies” episode with its on-the-nose title and guest cast that’s still in diapers but the chromatic cheer of the whole thing.
From Salon • May 10, 2024
However, for OTN wavelengths, ordinary visible cameras lose sensitivity and only a few commercially available lenses exist that can correct chromatic aberration.
From Science Daily • Apr. 29, 2024
Finally, a survey exhibition of Zammitt’s art at the Palm Springs Art Museum is taking visitors on a glorious tour through his chromatic investigations.
From New York Times • Mar. 14, 2024
Figure 4.8: All intervals in a chromatic scale are half steps.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
