Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
tetrachlorethylene

tetrachlorethylene

9.6
A chemical used to clean metal parts and once used to treat worm infections
  • noun
  • /ˌtɛtrəˌklɔːrˈɛθɪˌliːn/
  • UK
translation icon : tetrachloroetileno
  • The laboratory used tetrachlorethylene as a cleaning solvent for precision metal parts.

Examples

  • Due to environmental concerns, the use of tetrachlorethylene is now regulated in many countries.

  • Tetrachlorethylene was once used as a treatment for hookworm infections in humans.

  • The laboratory uses tetrachlorethylene for cleaning glassware.

  • Is tetrachlorethylene safe for use in home cleaning products?

  • Tetrachlorethylene was once widely prescribed to combat hookworm infections among farmers.

  • In industrial applications, tetrachlorethylene is frequently employed as a solvent for degreasing metal components.

  • Due to its effectiveness against nematodes, tetrachlorethylene is utilized in veterinary medicine as an anthelmintic.

Synonyms

tetrachloroethylene
vstetrachlorethylene
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A clear chemical liquid used for dry cleaning and removing grease

has the same meaning but is spelled differently

Surface Forms

tetrachlorethylene singular
tetrachlorethylenes plural

Morphology

tetrachlorethylene = ethylene (transparent) = tetra + chloro + ethylene

Standard chemical composition: 'tetra-' (four) + 'chloro-' (chlorine substituents) attached to 'ethylene' clearly describes the molecule's structure.

Etymology

Tetrachlorethylene breaks into parts: tetra- meaning 'four', chloro- meaning 'chlorine', and ethylene, a common chemical name. So it literally means an ethylene chemical with four chlorine atoms, which is why it is a chlorine-containing cleaning solvent and was once used to treat hookworm.