chloroform
1 synonyms and 0 antonyms for chloroform, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A sweet-smelling, colourless liquid chemical once used as an anaesthetic and still used today as an industrial solvent.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
Coined in French by chemist Jean-Baptiste Dumas in 1834, blending "chloride" and "formyl" (a chemical group from formic acid).
Full origin of chloroform →Frequently asked questions
What does “chloroform” mean?
The word “chloroform” means a sweet-smelling, colourless liquid chemical once used as an anaesthetic and still used today as an industrial solvent. In plain terms, a chemical once used to knock people out for surgery, now mainly an industrial solvent.
How do you pronounce “chloroform”?
“Chloroform” is pronounced KLO-ruh-fawm (/ˈklɒɹə(ʊ)ˌfɔː(ɹ)m/ in IPA).
How do you use “chloroform” in a sentence?
Here is “chloroform” used in a sentence: “Chloroform was commonly used to put patients under before modern anaesthetics were developed.”
What part of speech is “chloroform”?
Depending on how it is used, “chloroform” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “chloroform” come from?
The word “chloroform” dates back to around 1834 and comes from French. Coined in French by chemist Jean-Baptiste Dumas in 1834, blending "chloride" and "formyl" (a chemical group from formic acid).
How many meanings does “chloroform” have?
“Chloroform” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a sweet-smelling, colourless liquid chemical once used as an anaesthetic and still used today as an industrial solvent.