English pronunciation · Words Starting with C
Chronic Pronunciation
Chronic is pronounced KRAH-nik, IPA /ˈkrɑnɪk/.
KRAH-nik
US /ˈkrɑnɪk/ · UK /ˈkrɒnɪk/
Syllables: KRAH · nik (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)
adjective: Lasting a long time and difficult to cure or stop, said of an illness or a problem.
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Chronic in a Sentence
- She has lived with chronic back pain for years.
- The region faces a chronic shortage of nurses.
- His chronic lateness cost him the job.
Common Mispronunciations of Chronic
Not CHRAH-nik
Greek words that reached English through Latin spell a plain k as ch, so this one opens with kr. Chorus and chemist were borrowed the same way.
Not kruh-NIK
Two beats, and the first one holds the volume. Chronology shifts it along, but the short adjective does not.
Tip: Chronic and chronicle both descend from khronos, the Greek word for time, and both start with kr.
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