# chronic

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈkɹɒn.ɪk/ · frequency rank #5,110

## Definitions
1. Of a problem, that continues over an extended period of time.
2. Prolonged or slow to heal.
3. Of a person, suffering from an affliction that is prolonged or slow to heal.
4. Inveterate or habitual.
5. Very bad, awful.
6. Extremely serious.
7. Good, great; "wicked".

## 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.

## Easily confused with
- **Cronin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chronic-vs-cronin)
- **chronicle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chronic-vs-chronicle)
- **chaotic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaotic-vs-chronic)

## Common misspellings (11)
`cchronic`, `chhronic`, `chornic`, `chrnoic`, `chroinc`, `chronci`, `chronicc`, `chronnic`, `chrronic`, `crhonic`, `hcronic`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/chronic