chronic

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering

   chronic indigestion

2. 2
   adj

   habitual

   a chronic smoker

3. 3
   adj

   of long duration

   chronic money problems

4. 4
   adj

   Of a problem, that continues over an extended period of time.

   chronic unemployment; chronic poverty; chronic anger; chronic life

5. 5
   adj

   Prolonged or slow to heal.

   chronic cough; chronic headache; chronic illness

6. 6
   adj

   Of a person, suffering from an affliction that is prolonged or slow to heal.

   Chronic patients must learn to live with their condition.

7. 7
   adj

   Inveterate or habitual.

   He's a chronic smoker.

8. 8
   adj

   Very bad, awful.

   That concert was chronic.

Etymology

From chronical, from Old French cronike, from Latin chronicus, from Ancient Greek χρονικός (khronikós, “of time”), from χρόνος (khrónos, “time”). By surface analysis, chron- + -ic.