chloroform

American  

[klawr-uh-fawrm, klohr-] / ˈklɔr əˌfɔrm, ˈkloʊr- /

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.

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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 British  

/ ˈklɔːrəˌfɔːm /

noun

1. Systematic name: trichloromethane.  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

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chloroform Scientific  

/ 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 .

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Other Word Forms

• chloroformic adjective
• prechloroform verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of chloroform

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

Example Sentences

In contrast, when dissolved in chloroform, both the chlorophyll derivatives formed rosette patterns.

From Science Daily • Nov. 21, 2024

County health officials said they were testing water off Cabrillo Beach for chemicals, debris, trash and chloroform bacteria, which survive about two days in saltwater and can cause diarrhea and other intestinal problems.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2024

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 • Jul. 20, 2023

Of the two, chloroform was the preferred method of anesthesia, because it worked faster and was far less likely to explode.

From Salon • May 14, 2022

They stripped away the proteins by dissolving the material in chloroform.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee