noun

chloroform

KLO-ruh-fawm

Chloroform (noun) means a sweet-smelling, colourless liquid chemical once used as an anaesthetic and still used today as an industrial solvent. Example: “Chloroform was commonly used to put patients under before modern anaesthetics were developed.”

noun

A sweet-smelling, colourless liquid chemical once used as an anaesthetic and still used today as an industrial solvent.

"Chloroform was commonly used to put patients under before modern anaesthetics were developed."

verb

To knock someone unconscious using chloroform.

"In the old film, the villain chloroforms his victim with a soaked cloth."

How to Use Chloroform

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA chemical once used to knock people out for surgery, now mainly an industrial solvent.

Word Forms

chloroformed past tense, chloroforms singular

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_____ was commonly used to put patients under before modern anaesthetics were developed.

Etymology

Coined in French by chemist Jean-Baptiste Dumas in 1834, blending "chloride" and "formyl" (a chemical group from formic acid).

Origin: French · First attested 1834

Class of 1834 chloroform joined the language around 1834.

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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.