Standard Lemma guide

chlorination

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • UK: /ˌklɒ.ɹɪˈneɪ.ʃən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪʃən

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act or process of chlorinating something; especially, the addition of chlorine to water to purify it, and a process for the extraction of gold by exposure of the auriferous material to chlorine gas.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: dechlorination

Broader terms: halogenation

2

noun

Meaning 2

disinfection of water by the addition of small amounts of chlorine or a chlorine compound

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: disinfection

3

noun

Meaning 3

the addition or substitution of chlorine in organic compounds

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: chemical process, chemical change, chemical action

Narrower terms: prechlorination

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵhelh3- Proto-Hellenic *khlōrós Ancient Greek χλωρός (khlōrós) Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Italic *-īnos Latin -īnusder. Old French -inbor. Middle English -in English -ine English chlorine Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh2tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātuslbor. English -ate English chlorinate Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English -ion English chlorination From chlorinate + -ion.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: cloració — chlorination
  • Czech: chlorace — chlorination
  • Galician: cloración — chlorination
  • Hungarian: klórozás — chlorination
  • Italian: clorazione — chlorination
  • Marathi: क्लोरिनीकरण (klorinīkraṇ) — chlorination
  • Turkish: klorlama — chlorination