Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CHRON-IC, or CHRON'IC-AL, a. [Fr. chronique; It. Sp. cronico; Gr. χρονικος, from χρονος, time, duration. See Ar. قَرَنَ karana. Class Rn, No. 15.]

Continuing a long time, as a disease. A chronic disease is one which is inveterate or of long continuance, in distinction from an acute disease, which speedily terminates.