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hexachlorophene

American  
[hek-suh-klawr-uh-feen, -klohr-] / ˌhɛk səˈklɔr əˌfin, -ˈkloʊr- /

noun

  1. a white, crystalline powder, C 13 Cl 6 H 6 O 2 , insoluble in water: used as an antibacterial agent chiefly in toothpastes and soaps.


hexachlorophene British  
/ ˌhɛksəˈklɔːrəfiːn /

noun

  1. an insoluble almost odourless white bactericidal substance used in antiseptic soaps, deodorants, etc. Formula: (C 6 HCl 3 OH) 2 CH 2

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of hexachlorophene

1945–50; hexa- + chloro- 2 + -phene, word-final variant of phen- ( def. )

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

In addition, researchers reported earlier this year that rats fed on hexachlorophene suffered brain damage and paralysis.

From Time Magazine Archive

The most damaging evidence against hexachlorophene, however, came from Winthrop Laboratories, whose popular baby cleanser pHisoHex is 3% hexachlorophene.

From Time Magazine Archive

The suspected ingredient: hexachlorophene, an antibacterial agent that the U.S.

From Time Magazine Archive

Others observed that hexachlorophene could be absorbed through the skin and that some babies who were washed regularly with it developed concentrations of the chemical.

From Time Magazine Archive

When absorbed through the skin in sufficient quantity, experiments with animals had shown, hexachlorophene caused brain damage.

From Time Magazine Archive

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