different between chronic vs subacute

English

Alternative forms

• chronick (obsolete)

Etymology

From chronical, from Old French cronike, from Latin chronicus, from Ancient Greek ???????? (khronikós, “of time”), from ?????? (khrónos, “time”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?k??n?k/
• Rhymes: -?n?k

Adjective

chronic (comparative more chronic, superlative most chronic)

1. Of a problem, that continues over an extended period of time.
   • 1980, Ruth Harriet Jacobs, Integrating Displaced Homemakers into the Economy (page 14)

     Peer group support is important to displaced homemakers. The Displaced Homemakers' Network has done excellent work in helping women see that their problems do not have to be chronic.
2. (medicine) Prolonged or slow to heal.

3. Of a person, suffering from an affliction that is prolonged or slow to heal.

4. Inveterate or habitual.

5. (slang) Very bad, awful.

6. (informal) Extremely serious.

7. (slang) Good, great; "wicked".

Synonyms

• (that continues over an extended period of time): diuturnal, prolonged; see also Thesaurus:lasting
• (very bad, awful): abysmal, terrible; see also Thesaurus:bad
• (good, great): gnarly, splendid; see also Thesaurus:excellent

Antonyms

• (prolonged or slow to heal): acute, transient

Translations

Noun

chronic (countable and uncountable, plural chronics)

1. (slang) Marijuana, typically of high quality.
2. (medicine) A condition of extended duration, either continuous or marked by frequent recurrence. Sometimes implies a condition which worsens with each recurrence, though that is not inherent in the term.
3. A person who is chronic, such as a criminal reoffender or a person with chronic disease.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:marijuana

References

• chronic in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “chronic”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

Interlingua

Adjective

chronic (not comparable)

1. chronic

English

Etymology

sub- +? acute

Adjective

subacute (comparative more subacute, superlative most subacute)

1. (pathology) Less than acute
2. (biology) Having a pointed tip, but with a broad or slightly rounded angle

Derived terms

• subbacterial

Translations

Noun

subacute (plural subacutes)

1. (medicine) A patient whose condition is less than acute.

Italian

Adjective

subacute

1. feminine plural of subacuto