Root of the Week: CHRON (Monday)

MONDAY Chronic (adjective)

Something is described as “chronic” if it persists over a long period of time.  For some reason, only unpleasant, unwelcome things tend to be called “chronic.”  We don’t tend to say that someone is “chronically kind” or that someone has “chronic good health.”  Instead, we have phenomena like chronic fatigue syndrome, an unshakeable exhaustion and malaise that is difficult to explain or treat.  There are all kinds of chronic illnesses, such as asthma, which can be treated but not cured. There are also chronic teacher shortages, chronic traffic problems, chronic political divisions. Whatever is chronic is likely to be tiresome.