chronic

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Adjective 1.3.1 Antonyms 1.3.2 Translations 1.4 Noun 1.5 References

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From chronical < Old French chronique < Latin chronicus < Ancient Greek  (khronikos), “‘of time’”) < Ancient Greek χρόνος (khronos), “‘time’”).

[edit] Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɒnɪk

[edit] Adjective

chronic (comparative more chronic, superlative most chronic)

1. (of a problem) That which continues over an extended period of time, often associated with suffering ("long suffering").
2. (medicine) Prolonged or slow to heal. The opposite of acute.
3. (medicine) A condition of extended duration, either continuous or marked by frequent recurrence. Sometimes implies a worsening condition (a condition which gets worse with each recurrence), though this definition is not inherent in the term.
4. Inveterate or habitual.

   a chronic smoker

5. (informal) Very bad, awful.

   that concert was chronic

6. (informal) Extremely serious.

   they left him in a chronic condition

[edit] Antonyms

• acute

[edit] Translations

[edit] Noun

chronic (uncountable)

1. (slang) Marijuana, typically of high quality.

[edit] References

“chronic” in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

• "chronic" in the Online Etymology Dictionary, Douglas Harper, 2001