chronicle

1 of 2

noun

chron·​i·​cle ˈkrä-ni-kəl 

1

: a historical account of events arranged in order of time usually without analysis or interpretation

a chronicle of the Civil War

2

: narrative sense 1

a chronicle of the struggle against drug traffickers

chronicle

2 of 2

verb

chronicled; chronicling ˈkrä-ni-k(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

: to present a record of in or as if in a chronicle

chronicle Victorian society

chronicle the doings of the rich and famous

chronicler

ˈkrä-ni-k(ə-)lər 

noun

Synonyms

Noun

• account
• chronology
• commentary
• commentaries
• history
• narration
• narrative
• record
• report
• story

Verb

• chart
• describe
• narrate
• recite
• recount
• rehearse
• relate
• report
• tell

Examples of chronicle in a Sentence

Noun

a chronicle of the American Civil War

a chronicle of the President's years in office

Verb

The book chronicles the events that led to the American Civil War.

She intends to chronicle the broad social changes that have occurred in this part of the country.

a magazine that chronicles the lives of the rich and famous

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Phylicia Rashad directs Jacobs-Jenkins’s chronicle of the Jasper family, at the center of Black American politics for generations, now facing an explosive reckoning after the return home of youngest son Nazareth, who’s brought an unexpected guest. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025

Joshua Zeman’s documentary chronicles the courageous efforts to save them, first from starvation, then via transport to new homes. —Dennis Harvey, Variety, 8 Jan. 2025

Verb

Few journalists have chronicled the heartbeat of a city with such consistency and depth. —Trif Alatzas, Baltimore Sun, 10 Jan. 2025

The book, which does not yet have a title, will chronicle Brandy’s ascent from singing at her hometown church in McComb, Mississippi, to R&B stardom, acting, and beyond. —Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 9 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English cronycle, borrowed from Anglo-French cronike, cronicle (-le perhaps by assimilation to words with the suffix -icle, as article article entry 1), borrowed from Latin chronica "book of annals," borrowed from Greek (tà) chroniká, (hai) chronikaí, from plural of chronikós "of time, temporal, in order by time" (with a noun such as biblía "books" or graphaí "writings" understood) — more at chronic

Verb

Middle English cronyclen, verbal derivative of cronycle chronicle entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing chronicle

• chronicle play

Kids Definition

chronicle

1 of 2 noun

chron·​i·​cle ˈkrän-i-kəl 

: an account of events in the order of their happening : history

chronicle

2 of 2 verb

chronicled; chronicling -k(ə-)liŋ 

: to present a record of in or as if in a chronicle

chronicle the major events of last year

chronicler

-k(ə-)lər 

noun

Etymology

Noun

Middle English cronicle "chronicle," from early French chronique (same meaning), derived from Greek chronikos, "of time," from chronos "time" — related to anachronism, chronic, synchronous