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perchloroethylene

American  
[per-klawr-oh-eth-uh-leen, -klohr-] / pərˌklɔr oʊˈɛθ əˌlin, -ˌkloʊr- /

noun

Chemistry.
  1. tetrachloroethylene.


perchloroethylene British  
/ pəˌklɔːrəʊˈɛθɪliːn /

noun

  1. a colourless liquid used as a dry-cleaning solvent. Formula: CCl 2 :CCl 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

perchloroethylene Scientific  
/ pər-klôr′ō-ĕth′ə-lēn′ /

Etymology

Origin of perchloroethylene

First recorded in 1870–75; perchloro- + ethylene


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The groundwater in the area is contaminated with harmful chemicals including trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2024

Together, they focused on an attractive target, the commonly used degreasing and dry-cleaning agent perc, or perchloroethylene as chemists call it, which is non-harmful and produced in large quantities around the world.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 10, 2024

The agency moved to ban asbestos last year and has also proposed banning methylene chloride, perchloroethylene and carbon tetrachloride.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 23, 2023

That includes the likely next up, perchloroethylene, a solvent used for cleaning and degreasing, and carbon tetrachloride, another solvent that is commonly used to produce other chemicals such as refrigerants.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 20, 2023

The agency will also not consider the hazards of perchloroethylene discharged into streams or lakes, landfills or the air from dry-cleaning stores or manufacturing or processing plants, the documents say.

From New York Times ● Jun. 7, 2018

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