Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Chromatic

Chromatic , adjective

[Latin chromaticus, Greek {not transcribed}, suited for color, from {not transcribed}, {not transcribed}, color; akin to {not transcribed} color, {not transcribed} skin, color of the skin.]

1.
Relating to color, or to colors.
2.
(Music) 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.

Collocations (3)
Chromatic aberration (Optics) , See Aberration, 4.
Chromatic printing , printing from type or blocks covered with inks of various colors.
Chromatic scale (Music) , the scale consisting of thirteen tones, including the eight scale tones and the five intermediate tones.