Standard Lemma guide

tetrachloroethylene

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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  • /ˌtɛtraklɔːrəʊˈɛθɪliːn/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A liquid chlorocarbon with the formula C2Cl4, commonly used in dry cleaning and metal degreasing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Uses of tetrachloroethylene have included dry cleaning, degreasing, deworming, and others, but its use is now curtailed as compared with decades ago.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tetrachloroethene, perchloroethylene, perc

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

anthelmintic agent used against hookworm and other nematodes

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tetrachlorethylene, ethylene tetrachloride, carbon dichloride

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: vermifuge, anthelmintic, anthelminthic, helminthic

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kwetwóres Proto-Hellenic *kwétwores Ancient Greek τέσσᾰρες (téssăres) Ancient Greek τετρᾰ- (tetră-)bor. English tetra- English chloro- English ethylene English tetrachloroethylene From tetra- + chloro- + ethylene.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: tetracloroetilè — chlorocarbon
  • Catalan: percloroetilè — chlorocarbon
  • Finnish: tetrakloorietyleeni — chlorocarbon
  • French: tétrachloroéthylène — chlorocarbon
  • German: Tetrachlorethylen — chlorocarbon
  • Italian: tetracloroetilene — chlorocarbon
  • Japanese: テトラクロロエチレン (tetorakuroroechiren) — chlorocarbon
  • Romanian: tetracloroetilenă — chlorocarbon
  • Turkish: tetrakloroetilen — chlorocarbon