Word
chromatic
Phoneticschro·mat·ic
UK/kɹəʊmˈætɪk/
Definition
adj. relating to the colors of light or the way colors appear in nature. In music, it describes a scale that includes all the notes between each half step.
adj. relating to the spectrum of colors or the perception of color; in a musical context, referring to a scale that includes all twelve notes of the octave.
Examples
“The butterfly has beautiful chromatic wings.”
“The artist used a chromatic scale to create a sense of tension and movement in the melody.”
“The chromatic aberration in the lens caused a slight blurring of the edges, making the image appear less sharp than the photographer intended.”
Examples
simple
“The butterfly has beautiful chromatic wings.”
contextual
“The artist used a chromatic scale to create a sense of tension and movement in the melody.”
complex
“The chromatic aberration in the lens caused a slight blurring of the edges, making the image appear less sharp than the photographer intended.”
Etymology
Borrowed from French chromatique (“chromatic”) or directly from its etymon Latin chrōmaticus, from Ancient Greek χρωματικός (khrōmatikós, “relating to colour; one of the three types of tetrachord in Greek music”), from χρῶμα (khrôma, “colour; pigment; chromatic scale in music; music”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰer- (“to grind; to rub; to stroke; to remove”), perhaps in the sense of the grinding of pigments) + -τῐκός (-tĭkós, suffix forming adjectives); analysable as chroma + -tic.
From chromatin + -ic (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives from nouns).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/chromatic