chrome

noun

\ˈkrōm

Definition of chrome

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : chromium

b : a chromium pigment

2 : something plated with an alloy of chromium

chrome

verb

chromed; chroming

Definition of chrome (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to treat with a compound of chromium (as in dyeing)

2 : chromize

-chrome

noun combining form or adjective combining form

\ˌkrōm\

Definition of -chrome (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : colored thing heliochrome

2 : coloring matter urochrome

Examples of chrome in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

There's the familiar black Subaru grille, trimmed in chrome, with the unmistakable badge, front and center. — Eric Bangeman, Ars Technica, "Safety first, last, and always: The Subaru Ascent, reviewed," 25 Oct. 2018 And when choosing a finish for the shower heads, shiny chrome is always a standout. — Michelle Martin For Toll Brothers, Detroit Free Press, "Top 6 trends in the kitchen and bath," 16 May 2018 Cosmetic touches include black chrome finish on the fog lamp bezels, fender surround and grille insert and red recovery hooks. — Jeff Yip, Houston Chronicle, "GMC hatches next-gen 2019 half-ton, offers off-road version, carbon-fiber bed," 7 Apr. 2018 The patient and attentive sales clerk praised the merits of a handsome one in a patina neither quite brass nor chrome for $185. — New York Times, "Shopping Online for Home Decor?," 22 June 2018 Dylan and Kit also come in three leg styles (round dowel, tapered, and antenna) and finishes (matte black, matte brass, and chrome). — Jenny Xie, Curbed, "This customizable furniture retailer just added a dining set," 12 June 2018 There are three colors—blue/copper, black/chrome, and white/iron, and the first launch is June 2018. — Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, "Nokia 2.1, 3.1, and 5.1: Cheap phones with stock Android starting at $115," 30 May 2018 Gloss Black front and rear door handles were a departure from silver or chrome. — Emma Jayne Williams, star-telegram, "Hyundai’s 2018 Kona small crossover starts at $19,500, offers all-wheel drive | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 19 May 2018 Standard on Denali are 19-inch wheels and chrome surround on the grille, LED headlights, lower fascia and fog lights. — Robert Duffer, chicagotribune.com, "Auto review: 2018 GMC Terran Denali is not the champagne of compact crossovers," 16 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The result is a big beautiful box, chromed out and leather-padded and severely cushioned and covered all over by the classic Vuitton monogram. — Sam Schube, GQ, "Louis Vuitton’s World Cup Gear Is Once-Every-Four-Years Luxurious," 17 May 2018 Inside, there are ribbons of wood and chromed surfaces, and lots of technology — such as a 12.3-inch screen that displays all manner of information, including a 360-degree exterior view of the car that's beamed from an array of cameras. — Daniel Miller, latimes.com, "The Genesis G90 is a luxurious opening act for the new brand — and definitely not a Hyundai," 11 May 2018 Both body styles wear LED lighting, front and rear, and chromed dual-exhaust tips integrated into the rear bumpers. — Drew Dorian, Car and Driver, "2018 Mercedes-Benz C-class Coupe and Cabriolet," 23 Feb. 2018 The brand also has a dizzying array of polishes that includes cool colors, chromed-out metallics, and funky glitters—all of which are five-free, cruelty-free, and vegan. — Sophia Panych, Allure, "17 Cruelty-Free Brands You Need to Know," 1 Nov. 2017 The company’s new Windows 10 S system, which the company showed off Tuesday, looks like a direct competitor to Chrome OS, the operating system that powers Google’s low-cost Chromebooks. — Hayley Tsukayama, The Denver Post, "Microsoft wants to get its products into your kids’ classrooms," 7 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chrome.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for chrome

Noun

borrowed from French chrôme, borrowed from Greek chrôma "color" — more at -chrome

Note: Name introduced by the French chemist Louis Nicolas Vauquelin (1763-1829) in "Du plomb rouge de Sibérie, et expériences sur le nouveau métal qu'il contient," Journal des mines, Messidor, An V [vol. 6, June-July, 1797], pp. 737-60. Vauquelin notes that a word meaning "color"—originally suggested to him by the mineralogist René-Just Haüy—is fitting for the metal not because it has a distinctive color itself, but because the combinations into which it enters with oxygen (as a green oxide and red acid) are remarkable for their colors.

Verb

derivative of chrome entry 1

Noun combining form or adjective combining form

borrowed from Greek -chrōmos "having a color (of the kind specified by the initial element)," adjective derivative of chrōmat-, chrôma "skin, complexion, color," from chrō- (the base of an s-stem *chrowos-, whence chrṓs "surface of the body, skin, flesh, complexion, color," of obscure origin) + -ma, resultative noun suffix

Note: The form *chrowos- is reconstructed on the basis of Mycenaean a-ko-ro-we-e "without spots" (or "of one color"). While chrṓs can be contracted directly from a nominative *chrowṓs, the Homeric accusative chróa, genitive chroós assume *chrowós-a, *chrowos-ós, with hyphaeresis of the second vowel of the stem.