adjective
chronic
KRAH-nik/ˈkrɑːnɪk/
Lasting or recurring for a long time and often difficult to resolve.
His chronic knee pain continues through changing seasons.
Etymology
Originally meaning “concerning time,” chronic entered English describing diseases that lasted a long time. That medical use connects the time root to enduring or repeatedly recurring conditions.
In context
… it occurs in young kids it's chronic it's insidious it's a long time
More examples
- Her chronic cough lasted for months.
- The department has chronic staffing problems.
- Regular repairs failed to solve the chronic leak.
Forms
chronic
chronically adverb — persistently or repeatedly over a long period
Similar words
- persistent
- Continuing despite efforts to stop it.
- recurrent
- Returning repeatedly rather than necessarily continuous.