pentachlorophenol

American  

[pen-tuh-klawr-uh-fee-nawl, -nol, -klohr-] / ˌpɛn təˌklɔr əˈfi nɔl, -nɒl, -ˌkloʊr- /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a white, crystalline, water-insoluble powder, C 6 Cl 5 OH, used chiefly in fungicides, disinfectants, and wood preservatives.

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pentachlorophenol British  

/ ˌpɛntəˌklɔːrəˈfiːnɒl /

noun

1. a white crystalline water-insoluble compound used as a fungicide, herbicide, and preservative for wood. Formula: C 6 Cl 5 OH

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Etymology

Origin of pentachlorophenol

First recorded in 1875–80; penta- + chloro- ² + phenol

Example Sentences

That means that the United States is often behind the curve on banning harmful chemicals, such as the highly toxic pesticide pentachlorophenol.

From Salon • Aug. 22, 2021

A related chemical, pentachlorophenol, sometimes known as “penta,” is used both as a weed killer and as an insecticide, often being sprayed along railroad tracks and in waste areas.

From The New Yorker • Jan. 3, 2017

A small Texas company called Detox Industries has developed microbes that eat PCBs, creosote and pentachlorophenol.

From Time Magazine Archive

In Michigan, researchers found that cows that licked barn wood treated with the preservative pentachlorophenol were starving to death.

From Time Magazine Archive

A related chemical, pentachlorophenol, sometimes known as “penta,” is used as a weed killer as well as an insecticide, often being sprayed along railroad tracks and in waste areas.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson