Chris|ten|dom /kr I s ə ndəm/ N‑PROPER All the Christian people and countries in the world can be referred to as Christendom . [OLD-FASHIONED ]
chris|ten|ing /kr I s ə n I ŋ/ (christenings ) N‑COUNT A christening is a Christian ceremony in which a baby is made a member of the Christian Church and is officially given his or her name. Compare baptism . □ …my granddaughter's christening. □ …a christening robe.
Christian ◆◆◇ /kr I stʃən/ (Christians )
1 N‑COUNT A Christian is someone who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ. □ He was a devout Christian.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Christian means relating to Christianity or Christians. □ …the Christian Church. □ …the Christian faith. □ Most of my friends are Christian.
Chris|ti|an|ity /kr I stiæ n I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT Christianity is a religion that is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ and the belief that he was the son of God. □ He converted to Christianity that day.
Chri stian name (Christian names ) N‑COUNT Some people refer to their first names as their Christian names . □ Despite my attempts to get him to call me by my Christian name he insisted on addressing me as 'Mr Kennedy'.
Chri stian Sci |ence N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Christian Science is a type of Christianity which emphasizes the use of prayer to cure illness. □ …members of the Christian Science Church.
Christ|mas /kr I sməs/ (Christmases )
1 N‑VAR [oft N n] Christmas is a Christian festival when the birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated. Christmas is celebrated on the 25th of December. □ The day after Christmas is generally a busy one for retailers. □ Merry Christmas, Mom.
2 N‑VAR [oft N n] Christmas is the period of several days around and including Christmas Day. □ He'll be in the hospital over Christmas, so we'll be spending our Christmas Day there.
Chri st|mas cake (Christmas cakes ) N‑VAR A Christmas cake is a special cake that is eaten at Christmas in Britain and some other countries.
Chri st|mas card (Christmas cards ) N‑COUNT Christmas cards are cards with greetings, which people send to their friends and family at Christmas.
Chri st|mas Da y N‑UNCOUNT Christmas Day is the 25th of December, when Christmas is celebrated.
Chri st|mas E ve N‑UNCOUNT Christmas Eve is the 24th of December, the day before Christmas Day.
Chri st|mas pu d|ding (Christmas puddings ) N‑VAR Christmas pudding is a special pudding that is eaten at Christmas. [mainly BRIT ]
Chri st|mas sto ck|ing (Christmas stockings ) N‑COUNT A Christmas stocking is a long sock which children hang up on Christmas Eve. During the night, parents fill the stocking with small presents.
Christ|massy /kr I sməsi/ in AM, also use Christmasy ADJ Something that is Christmassy is typical of or suitable for Christmas. [INFORMAL ] □ Choose Christmassy colours such as red and green.
Chri st|mas tree (Christmas trees ) N‑COUNT A Christmas tree is a fir tree, or an artificial tree that looks like a fir tree, which people put in their houses at Christmas and decorate with coloured lights and ornaments.
chro|mat|ic /krəmæ t I k/
1 ADJ In music, chromatic means related to the scale that consists only of semitones. □ …the notes of the chromatic scale.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Chromatic means related to colours.
chrome /kroʊ m/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Chrome is metal plated with chromium. □ …old-fashioned chrome taps.
chro|mium /kroʊ miəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Chromium is a hard, shiny metallic element, used to make steel alloys and to coat other metals. □ …chromium-plated fire accessories.
chro|mo|so|mal /kroʊ məsoʊ m ə l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Chromosomal means relating to or connected with chromosomes. □ …chromosomal abnormalities.
chro|mo|some /kroʊ məsoʊm/ (chromosomes ) N‑COUNT A chromosome is a part of a cell in an animal or plant. It contains genes which determine what characteristics the animal or plant will have. □ Each cell of our bodies contains 46 chromosomes.
chron|ic /krɒ n I k/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A chronic illness or disability lasts for a very long time. Compare acute . □ …chronic back pain. ● chroni|cal|ly /krɒ n I kli/ ADV [ADV adj/-ed] □ Most of them were chronically ill.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] You can describe someone's bad habits or behaviour as chronic when they have behaved like that for a long time and do not seem to be able to stop themselves. □ …a chronic worrier.
3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A chronic situation or problem is very severe and unpleasant. □ One cause of the artist's suicide seems to have been chronic poverty. ● chroni|cal|ly ADV [ADV adj/-ed] □ Research and technology are said to be chronically underfunded.
chro n|ic fa|ti gue sy n|drome N‑UNCOUNT Chronic fatigue syndrome is an illness that is thought to be caused by a virus, and which affects people for a long period of time. Its symptoms include tiredness and aching muscles. The abbreviation CFS is often used.
chroni|cle /krɒ n I k ə l/ (chronicles , chronicling , chronicled )
1 VERB To chronicle a series of events means to write about them or show them in broadcasts in the order in which they happened. □ [V n] The series chronicles the everyday adventures of two eternal bachelors. [Also V wh] ● chroni|cler (chroniclers ) N‑COUNT □ [+ of ] …the chronicler of the English civil war.
2 N‑COUNT A chronicle is an account or record of a series of events. □ [+ of ] …this vast chronicle of Napoleonic times.