Persistently or repeatedly over a long period of time, especially used for ongoing medical conditions or continuous problems.
From 'chronic,' derived from Greek 'chronos' (time). The suffix '-ically' makes it an adverb. It means 'relating to time' and came to mean 'long-lasting' in both medical and general contexts.
Medical language reveals hidden assumptions—we say 'chronically ill' but never 'chronically healthy,' even though some people stay healthy for life. The word 'chronic' now means 'bad and lasting' in English, though it originally just meant 'time-related.'
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