Chronic

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈkɹɒnɪk/
• Rhymes: -É’nɪk

Alternative forms

• chronick obsolete

Origin

From chronical, from Old French chronique, from Latin chronicus, from Ancient Greek χρονικός (khronikos, "of time"), from χρόνος (khronos, "time").

Full definition of chronic

Adjective

1. Of a problem, that continues over an extended period of time.
   chronic unemployment;   chronic poverty;   chronic anger
• 1963, Margery Allingham, The China Governess Chapter 8, It was a casual sneer, obviously one of a long line. There was hatred behind it, but of a quiet, chronic type, nothing new or unduly virulent, and he was taken aback by the flicker of amazed incredulity that passed over the younger man's ravaged face.
2. (medicine) Prolonged or slow to heal.
   chronic cough;   chronic headache;  chronic illness
3. Of a person, suffering from an affliction that is prolonged or slow to heal.
   Chronic patients must learn to live with their condition.
4. Inveterate or habitual.
   He's a chronic smoker.
5. (informal) Very bad, awful.
   That concert was chronic.
6. (informal) Extremely serious.
   They left him in a chronic condition.
7. (informal) Good, great, as in "wicked".
   That was cool, chronic in fact.

Antonyms

• (prolonged or slow to heal) acute

Noun

1. A chronic one
2. (slang) Marijuana, typically of high quality.
3. (medicine) A condition of extended duration, either continuous or marked by frequent recurrence. Sometimes implies a condition which worsens with each recurrence, though that is not inherent in the term.

Synonyms