/ ˈkrɒnɪk; NAmE ˈkrɑːn-/ adjective
1.
( especially of a disease ) lasting for a long time; difficult to cure or get rid of :
chronic bronchitis / arthritis / asthma
the country's chronic unemployment problem
a chronic shortage of housing in rural areas
OPP acute
2.
having had a disease for a long time :
a chronic alcoholic / depressive
3.
( BrE , informal ) very bad :
The film was just chronic.
► chron·ic·al·ly / ˈkrɒnɪkli; NAmE ˈkrɑːn-/ adverb :
a hospital for the chronically ill
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from French chronique , via Latin from Greek khronikos of time, from khronos time.