chronic
chronic Lexical Profile
chronic Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Persisting for a long time or constantly recurring (especially of an illness, medical condition, or social problem).
"Regular physical therapy helped her manage the chronic back pain she had experienced for years."
Having a deeply ingrained, habitual, or compulsive pattern of behavior (usually negative).
"As a chronic procrastinator, he always waited until the final evening to begin his assignments."
British Of a very poor quality; dreadful or severe (informal).
"The traffic heading into the city center this morning was absolutely chronic."
• noun
A person who suffers from a long-lasting or persistent illness.
"The clinic was established to provide specialized outpatient care for chronics and elderly patients."
North American High-grade, potent cannabis (slang).
"The lyrics of the hip-hop album frequently referenced Californian culture and smoking chronic."
Word Nuance & Usage
In medicine, 'chronic' contrasts with 'acute': a chronic condition develops slowly and persists over a long period, whereas an acute condition has a sudden onset and short duration.
• Rhymes for chronic
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed via Middle French and Latin from the Ancient Greek 'khronikos' ('of or concerning time'), derived from 'khronos' meaning 'time'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.