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.