chlorofluorocarbon

American  

[klawr-oh-floor-oh-kahr-buhn, -flawr-, klohr-oh-floor-oh-kahr-buhn, -flohr-] / ˌklɔr oʊˌflʊər oʊˈkɑr bən, -ˌflɔr-, ˌkloʊr oʊˌflʊər oʊˈkɑr bən, -ˌfloʊr- /

noun

1. any of several volatile, inert, saturated compounds of carbon, fluorine, chlorine, and hydrogen: used as refrigerants, foam-blowing agents, solvents, and, formerly, as aerosol propellants until scientists became concerned about depletion of the atmospheric ozone layer.

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chlorofluorocarbon British  

/ ˌklɔːrəˌflʊərəʊˈkɑːbən /

noun

1.  CFC.  chem any of various gaseous compounds of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine, used as refrigerants, aerosol propellants, solvents, and in foam: some cause a breakdown of ozone in the earth's atmosphere

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chlorofluorocarbon Scientific  

/ klôr′ō-flr′ō-kär′bən /

1. A fluorocarbon containing chlorine. Chlorofluorocarbons are destructive to the Earth's ozone layer. For this reason, the production and use of chlorofluorocarbons has been sharply reduced in recent years.

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Etymology

Origin of chlorofluorocarbon

First recorded in 1945–50; chloro- ² + fluorocarbon

Example Sentences

The damage was driven by chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, which were widely used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and aerosol products.

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2026

He draws parallels to chlorofluorocarbons pollutants released from refrigerators that bore a hole in the ozone layer last century, and were eventually banned.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026

The international agreement to phase out ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons is widely regarded as one of the most successful environmental treaties of all time.

From Scientific American • May 23, 2023

Chemical pollutants — like nitrogen dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons on Earth are almost exclusively produced by human industry.

From Salon • Nov. 2, 2022

With an instinct for the regrettable that was almost uncanny, he invented chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson