heptachlor

[ hep-tuh-klawr, -klohr ]

noun

1. a highly toxic, light-tan, waxy solid, C 10 H 5 Cl 7 , used as an insecticide: its manufacture and use are restricted in the U.S.

heptachlor

/ hĕp′tə-klôr′ /

1. A white or tan powder used as a pesticide. Because it is highly toxic to humans and is a suspected carcinogen, its use has been largely discontinued. Chemical formula: C 10 H 5 Cl 7 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of heptachlor¹

First recorded in 1945–50; hepta- + chlor- ²