'chromium-based' is a modern compound formed from the element name 'chromium' and the adjective-forming construction 'based' (from English 'base'). 'Chromium' ultimately comes from New Latin 'chromium', itself from Greek 'chrōma'/'chroma', where 'chrōma' meant 'color'. 'Base' comes from Old French 'base', from Latin/Greek 'basis' meaning 'foundation'.

'chromium' was coined in modern scientific usage after the element's identification in the late 18th century (from New Latin and Greek 'chrōma'); the compound 'chromium-based' developed later in Modern English as technical language combined the element name with 'based' to mean 'having that element as a basis'.

Initially the Greek root 'chrōma' referred to 'color'; it later gave the name to the chemical element 'chromium', and in Modern English the compound 'chromium-based' came to mean 'having chromium as a principal component' and, by extension in technology, 'based on the Chromium software project'.