carbon monoxide

noun

1. a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas, CO, that burns with a pale-blue flame, produced when carbon burns with insufficient air: used chiefly in organic synthesis, metallurgy, and in the preparation of metal carbonyls, as nickel carbonyl.

carbon monoxide

noun

1. a colourless odourless poisonous flammable gas formed when carbon compounds burn in insufficient air and produced by the action of steam on hot carbon: used as a reducing agent in metallurgy and as a fuel. Formula: CO

Word History and Origins

Origin of carbon monoxide¹

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

So I thought that I was maybe getting them from carbon monoxide exposure.

From Ozy

The next most common gases were carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, followed by hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide and some more complex gases that this early version of the experiment didn’t identify.

From Science News

The fires produce nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and fine particles that can also help to increase ground-level ozone.

From Science News

If a vehicle tail pipe becomes buried by snow, slush, mud or water, exhaust can back up into the vehicle cabin and cause death from carbon monoxide poisoning.

From Popular-Science

The heater will produce deadly carbon monoxide gas, so crack windows on both sides to provide ventilation.

From Popular-Science

His team of engineers set to work on a new device, a combination smoke and carbon-monoxide detector.

From The Daily Beast

For example, research has shown that most carbon-monoxide alarm incidents are triggered by a malfunctioning furnace.

From The Daily Beast

The blood is, however, never saturated with carbon monoxide, for the animal dies long before this takes place.

From Project Gutenberg

The detection in air, if the carbon monoxide is in any quantity, is easy enough; but traces of carbon monoxide are difficult.

From Project Gutenberg

Such a solution is an absorbent of carbon monoxide; it also absorbs ethylene and acetylene.

From Project Gutenberg

A “smoky” chimney or a defective flue will therefore introduce carbon monoxide into living-rooms.

From Project Gutenberg

Poisoning by coal gas is practically poisoning by carbon monoxide.

From Project Gutenberg