Chlorofluorocarbon
noun ·6 syllables ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 Any of a class of organic compounds in which the hydrogen atoms of a hydrocarbon are replaced with those of chlorine and fluorine; formerly used as refrigerants and aerosol can propellants but withdrawn due to causing damage to the ozone layer.
"The proposed replacement for CFC-11, a chlorofluorocarbon used to make plastic foam and in central air-conditioning systems, is a compound called HCFC-22. This is a chlorofluorocarbon already in use in home air-conditioners, but it is more expensive than CFC-11 and its potential applications are limited by its inferior characteristics."
- 2 a fluorocarbon with chlorine; formerly used as a refrigerant and as a propellant in aerosol cans wordnet
Example
More examples"The proposed replacement for CFC-11, a chlorofluorocarbon used to make plastic foam and in central air-conditioning systems, is a compound called HCFC-22. This is a chlorofluorocarbon already in use in home air-conditioners, but it is more expensive than CFC-11 and its potential applications are limited by its inferior characteristics."
Etymology
From chloro- + fluorocarbon.
Related phrases
More for "chlorofluorocarbon"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.