chronic

The word “chronic” means lasting for a long time or recurring frequently, especially of an illness or problem. In plain terms, long-lasting or constantly recurring, usually describing a persistent illness or problem.

“Chronic” is pronounced KRON-ihk (/ˈkɹɑ.nɪk/ in IPA).

Here is “chronic” used in a sentence: “He suffers from chronic back pain.”

Words with a similar meaning to “chronic” include prolonged, terrible and splendid.

The opposite of “chronic” — its antonyms — are acute and transient.

Depending on how it is used, “chronic” can be an adjective and a noun.

The word “chronic” comes from Latin. From Old French cronique, from Latin chronicus, from Greek khronikós (\"of time\"), from khrónos (\"time\").

“Chronic” is a fairly common word in modern English.

Chronic describes a condition that lasts a long time or recurs frequently, while acute describes one that is severe and comes on suddenly but is usually short-lived. A chronic illness persists over months or years, whereas an acute illness has a rapid onset and a shorter course.

Both suggest something that continues over time. Chronic is most often used for long-lasting illnesses or problems and can imply they are hard to cure, while persistent simply means continuing steadily and can describe almost anything, from rain to effort.

Use chronic to describe how long something lasts or how often it recurs, not how intense it is. Severe describes strength or seriousness, so a problem can be chronic (long-lasting) without being severe, or severe without being chronic.