From Greek 'khronikos' (of time) — a chronic condition persists 'through time,' opposed to an acute (sudden) one.
Persisting for a long time or constantly recurring; of an illness: long-lasting, as opposed to acute.
From Latin 'chronicus,' from Greek 'khronikos' (χρονικός, of time, long-lasting), from 'khronos' (χρόνος, time). In medical usage since Galen (2nd century CE), 'chronic' diseases were distinguished from 'acute' (sharp, sudden) ones — a chronic disease persists over time. The same root gives 'chronology' (study of time), 'chronicle' (a record of
In Greek mythology, Kronos (Χρόνος, often spelled Chronos) was the personification of Time itself — not to be confused with the Titan Cronus (Κρόνος) who ate his children, though the two were frequently conflated in antiquity. Every 'chrono-' word in English invokes this figure: a 'chronometer' is a 'time-measurer,' an 'anachronism' is 'against time' (out of its proper period), and a 'chronicle' is a 'time-record.' British slang uses 'chronic' to mean 'terrible' — presumably because