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chloroform

noun, verb — 2 senses

chloroform

noun

/ˈklɒɹə(ʊ)ˌfɔː(ɹ)m/

Etymology Borrowed from French chloroforme, portmanteau of terchloride (tertiary chloride, trichloride) and formyle (CH, an obsolete radical of formic acid) by Jean-Baptiste Dumas, from 1834. By surface analysis, chloro- + -form.

1

Chemistry, Natural sciences, Organic chemistry, Physical sciences A halogenated hydrocarbon, trichloromethane, CHCl₃; it is a volatile, sweet-smelling liquid, used extensively as a solvent and formerly as an anesthetic.

  • Some assume that chloroform is a gas because it was given by inhalation.
Derived terms
chlorodyne, chloroformer, chloroformism, chloroformist, chloroformize, deuterochloroform, methylchloroform, methyl chloroform, nitrochloroform, prechloroform

chloroform

verb

Etymology Borrowed from French chloroforme, portmanteau of terchloride (tertiary chloride, trichloride) and formyle (CH, an obsolete radical of formic acid) by Jean-Baptiste Dumas, from 1834. By surface analysis, chloro- + -form.

1

To treat, or to render unconscious, with chloroform.

  • Geoffrey was first chloroformed, I think. The hand that picked Nipper up to dispose of him had certainly touched chloroform just before. Drugged; does that bring us nearer by taking us further away, I wonder?1934, Ernest Bramah, The Bravo of London:
Derived terms
unchloroformed
Related terms
methylene chloride, carbon tetrachloride, fluoroform, bromoform, iodoform

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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