Standard Lemma guide

chlorofluorocarbon

noun · 2 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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  • CMU ARPABET: K L AO0 R OW0 F L AO2 R OW0 K AA1 R B AA0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 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are replaced with those of chlorine and fluorine; formerly used as refrigerants and aerosol can propellants but withdrawn due to causing damage to the ozone layer.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, organic-chemistry, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a fluorocarbon with chlorine; formerly used as a refrigerant and as a propellant in aerosol cans

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the chlorine in CFCs causes depletion of atmospheric ozone

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: CFC

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pollutant, fluorocarbon, greenhouse gas, greenhouse emission

Narrower terms: hydrochlorofluorocarbon, HCFC, Freon

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵhelh3- Proto-Hellenic *khlōrós Ancient Greek χλωρός (khlōrós) English chloro- Proto-Indo-European *bhel-der. Proto-Indo-European *bhlewH-der. Proto-Indo-European *bhluH-yé-ti? Latin fluō Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *-ōs Proto-Italic *-ōs Latin -or Latin fluor Ancient Greek -ο- (-o-)der. Latin -o-bor. English -o- English fluoro- Proto-Indo-European *kerh3-der.? Latin carbōnemlbor. French carbonebor. English carbon English fluorocarbon English chlorofluorocarbon From chloro- + fluorocarbon.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 氯氟烴 /氯氟烃 (lǜfútīng) — an organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
  • Dutch: chloorfluorkoolwaterstof — an organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
  • Esperanto: klorfluorkarbono — an organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
  • Finnish: kloorifluorihiilivety — an organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
  • French: chlorofluorocarbure — an organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
  • Galician: clorofluorocarbono — an organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
  • German: Fluorchlorkohlenwasserstoffe — an organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
  • Italian: clorofluorocarburo — an organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
  • Māori: mākōwaro — an organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
  • Portuguese: clorofluorocarboneto — an organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
  • Spanish: clorofluorocarbono — an organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
  • Tamil: பாசிவினைவிக்கரிமம் (pāciviṉaivikkarimam) — an organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen