carbolic acid

/ kɑːˈbɒlɪk /

noun

1. another name for phenol, esp when it is used as an antiseptic or disinfectant

carbolic acid

/ kär-bŏl′ĭk /

1. See phenol

Word History and Origins

Origin of carbolic acid¹

C19: carbolic, from carbo- + -ol ¹+ -ic

Example Sentences

They found that if they cleaned an infected wound with chemicals such as carbolic acid, bromine, nitric acid, and iodine, they could sometimes heal it.

From Literature

The wounds were cauterized with carbolic acid and sterilized with alcohol.

From Literature

An Indian government commission was tasked with investigating, and it discovered that Haffkine had changed the procedure for sterilising the plague vaccine, using heat instead of carbolic acid because it sped up production.

From BBC

Apparently it's an obsolete term referring to the use of carbolic acid as a disinfectant to kill germs.

From BBC

Starting with Chinatown, earthen basements were concreted, concrete ones flooded with carbolic acid, walls washed with lye, streets asphalted, cesspools filled and decrepit dwellings demolished.

From Nature