chronicle n.

c. 1300, cronicle, "historical account of facts or events in the order of time," from Anglo-French cronicle, from Old French cronique "chronicle" (Modern French chronique), from Latin chronica (neuter plural mistaken for fem. singular), from Greek ta khronika (biblia) "the (books of) annals, chronology," neuter plural of khronikos "of time, concerning time," from khronos "time" (see chrono-).

The ending was modified in Anglo-French, perhaps by influence of article. Old English had cranic "chronicle," cranicwritere "chronicler." The classical -h- was restored in English from 16c. As a one-word form, classical Greek had khronographia "chronicle, yearbook."

"to record in a chronicle, make a simple record of occurrences in their order of time," c. 1400, croniclen, from chronicle (n.). Related: Chronicled; chronicling.