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chloroform

chloroform

32 7.9
A colorless liquid once used to make people sleep during operations
  • noun
  • /ˈklɔːrəˌfɔːrm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cloroformo
  • Through the sweaty, dull haze of intolerable pain, Harry smelled the sickly sweet aroma of chloroform.
  • use of chloroform
  • concentration of chloroform
  • mL of chloroform

Examples

  • The EPA publicly announced its discovery of chloroform and trihalomethanes in drinking water in 1976.

    Academic text (1998)
  • In the lab, chloroform was used as a solvent for the chemical reactions.

  • Does this smell like chloroform to you?

  • It just takes a second for the chloroform to wear off.

  • Chloroform is a progressive depressant.

  • Johanna was given a whiff of chloroform to ease the worst of the pain.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Caitlin looks up just in time to see Timothy apply the chloroform.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • The doctor prepared the chloroform to use as an anesthetic during the surgery.

  • After inhaling the chloroform, she quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Synonyms

trichloromethane
vschloroform
  • Specialized
8.1

A liquid chemical also called chloroform, once used to make people sleep during surgery

is the common or traditional name for that substance

Surface Forms

chloroform singular
chloroforms plural

Morphology

chloroform = chloro + form

The components 'chloro' and 'form' do not transparently convey the specific chemical and anesthetic meaning of the word.

Etymology

Chloroform comes from the parts chloro- 'green' and -form 'shape', because when chemists first made it they saw a greenish substance in the process. So the name stuck to the chemical that later became used to put people to sleep for operations.