eau de Javelle
- noun
- /oʊ də ʒɑːˈvɛl/
- Archaic
:
agua de Javelle
- A diluted solution of eau de Javelle is effective for whitening laundry.
Examples
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They used eau de Javelle to disinfect the lab surfaces before the experiment.
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The janitor prepared a bucket with eau de Javelle to clean the floor.
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The cleaner uses eau de Javelle to disinfect surfaces.
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You can find eau de Javelle in most supermarkets.
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A diluted solution of eau de Javelle is effective for whitening laundry.
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The janitor prepared a bucket with eau de Javelle to clean the floor.
-
They used eau de Javelle to disinfect the lab surfaces before the experiment.
Synonyms
1
8.4
A salt used to kill germs and bleach things
1
5.5
A chemical that bleaches and kills germs, used in household bleach
A liquid used to bleach clothes or kill germs
A strong liquid used to kill germs and remove stains
A liquid made from chlorine and water that kills germs and bleaches stains
A white powder used to bleach and kill germs
A white powder used to bleach and kill germs in water and on surfaces
Surface Forms
Morphology
eau + de + Javelle
The phrase literally parses as 'water (eau) of Javelle', so a learner who knows the constituents can infer it denotes a named water/product associated with Javelle. However, the specific lexicalized sense — that it is a sodium hypochlorite bleach/disinfectant — is not predictable from those parts alone and requires prior lexical knowledge, so the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Eau de Javelle may come from the name of a place where a strong cleaning liquid was first made. The words literally mean eau 'water' of Javelle, so people used it for the water that whitens clothes and cleans surfaces, which is why it now means a type of 'bleach' and disinfectant.