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phosgene
[ fos-jeen, foz- ]
/ ˈfɒs dʒin, ˈfɒz- /
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noun Chemistry.
a poisonous, colorless, very volatile liquid or suffocating gas, COCl2, a chemical-warfare compound: used chiefly in organic synthesis.
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Origin of phosgene
Words nearby phosgene
-phoresis, phoresy, phormium, phoronid, -phorous, phosgene, phosgenite, phosph-, phosphagen, phosphamidon, phosphatase
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use phosgene in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for phosgene
phosgene
/ (ˈfɒzdʒiːn) /
noun
a colourless easily liquefied poisonous gas, carbonyl chloride, with an odour resembling that of new-mown hay: used in chemical warfare as a lethal choking agent and in the manufacture of pesticides, dyes, and polyurethane resins. Formula: COCl 2
Word Origin for phosgene
C19: from Greek phōs light + -gene, variant of -gen
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
Scientific definitions for phosgene
phosgene
[ fŏs′jēn′ ]
A colorless, volatile gas that has the odor of freshly mowed hay. When it reacts with water (as in the lungs during respiration), phosgene produces hydrochloric acid and carbon monoxide. It is used in making glass, dyes, resins, and plastics, and was used as a poisonous gas during World War I. Also called carbonyl chloride. Chemical formula: COCl2.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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