Chro‐mat″ic (?), a. [L. chromaticus, Gr. �, suited for color, fr. �, �, color; akin to � color, � skin, color of the skin.] 1. Relating to color, or to colors.
2. (Mus.) Proceeding by the smaller intervals (half steps or semitones) of the scale, instead of the regular intervals of the diatonic scale.
☞ The intermediate tones were formerly written and printed in colors.
Chromatic aberration. (Opt.) See Aberration, 4. — Chromatic printing, printing from type or blocks covered with inks of various colors. — Chromatic scale(Mus.), the scale consisting of thirteen tones, including the eight scale tones and the five intermediate tones.