chloroform

[ klawr-uh-fawrm, klohr- ]

noun

1. Also called trichloromethane. Chemistry, Pharmacology. a colorless, volatile, nonflammable, slightly water-soluble, pungent, sweet-tasting liquid, CHCl 3 , usually derived from acetone, acetaldehyde, or ethyl alcohol by the reaction of chloride of lime: used chiefly in medicine as a solvent and formerly as an anesthetic.

verb (used with object)

1. to administer chloroform to, especially in order to anesthetize, make unconscious, or kill.
2. to put chloroform on (a cloth, object, etc.).

chloroform

/ ˈklɔːrəˌfɔːm /

noun

1. a heavy volatile liquid with a sweet taste and odour, used as a solvent and cleansing agent and in refrigerants: formerly used as an inhalation anaesthetic. Formula: CHCl 3 Systematic nametrichloromethane

chloroform

/ klôr′ə-fôrm′ /

1. A colorless, toxic, sweet-tasting liquid formed by combining methane with chlorine. It is used as a solvent and was once widely used as an anesthetic. Chemical formula: CHCl 3 .

Other Words From

• chloro·formic adjective
• pre·chloro·form verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of chloroform¹

First recorded in 1830–40; chloro- ² + form(yl)

Word History and Origins

Origin of chloroform¹

C19: from chloro- + form ( yl ) (in an obsolete sense that applied to a CH radical)

Example Sentences

They included several types of phthalates, chemicals used to make plastics flexible; chloroform, a toxic byproduct from disinfecting water with chlorine; and toluene, a hazardous substance found in vehicle exhaust.

From Los Angeles Times

What is the strange chloroform that knocks out their opponents?

From BBC

Researchers at the University of Washington have genetically modified pothos plants with a synthetic version of a "green liver" protein found in rabbits, which can process chloroform and benzene.

From BBC

Three days before they met in person, his internet searches included "what is chloroform used for" and underfloor storage.

From BBC

In one scene, Pooh and his friend Piglet use chloroform to incapacitate a bikini-clad woman in a hot tub and then drive a car over her head.

From New York Times