English
chronic
Chronic comes from Latin chronicus ‘of or pertaining to time’, and goes back to Ancient Greek χρόνος.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχρόνοςkhrónos‘time’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEχρονικόςkhronikós‘of time’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEchronicus‘of or pertaining to time’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400cronike
- Englishearliest quotation 1895chronic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχρόνοςkhrónos‘time’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEχρονικόςkhronikós‘of time’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEchronicus‘of or pertaining to time’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400cronike
- Englishearliest quotation 1895chronic
Earliest quotation: 1895, Report of the Committee on Lunacy to the: “Wernersvill asylum is now practically filled, and, as it…”
Equivalent to chron- + -ic
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰer- ‘to seize, enclose’
girl, card, chart, rocket, cartoon, chorus, cartel, cartridge, carte, carton, cartography, urchin, germanium, cartouche, 33 more
through Ancient Greek χρόνος ‘time’
Today it means
adj Being problematic over an extended period of time.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek χρόνος / chronic