Meanings
plural chlorofluorocarbons · abbreviation CFC · abbreviation rare CFK
- chemistryAny of a class of organic compounds in which the hydrogen atoms of a hydrocarbon are replaced with those of chlorine and fluorine; formerly used as refrigerants and aerosol can propellants but withdrawn due to causing damage to the ozone layer.
The Renew is also free of polyvinyl chloride, asbestos, chlorofluorocarbons and halons.
2009 February 12, Azadeh Ensha, “A Cellphone That Is Made With the Environment in Mind”, in The New York Times1 more example
The proposed replacement for CFC-11, a chlorofluorocarbon used to make plastic foam and in central air-conditioning systems, is a compound called HCFC-22. This is a chlorofluorocarbon already in use in home air-conditioners, but it is more expensive than CFC-11 and its potential applications are limited by its inferior characteristics.
1989 March 7, Malcolm W. Browne, “In Protecting the Atmosphere, Choices Are Costly and Complex”, in The New York Times
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna fluorocarbon with chlorine; formerly used as a refrigerant and as a propellant in aerosol cans
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*ǵʰelh₃-
- Proto-Indo-European*ǵʰl̥h₃rós
- Proto-Hellenic*kʰlōrós
- Ancient Greekχλωρός (khlōrós)
- Englishchloro-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰel-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰlewH-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰluH-yé-ti?
- Latinfluō
- Latinfluor
- Englishfluoro-
- Proto-Indo-European*kerh₃-der.?
- Latincarbōnem
- Frenchcarbone
- Englishcarbon
- Englishfluorocarbon
- Englishchlorofluorocarbon
From chloro- + fluorocarbon.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 氯氟烴 /氯氟烃
- 氯氟烴 /氯氟烃 (lǜfútīng)an organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
Dutch chloorfluorkoolwaterstof
- chloorfluorkoolwaterstofan organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
Esperanto klorfluorkarbono
- klorfluorkarbonoan organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
Finnish kloorifluorihiilivety
- kloorifluorihiilivetyan organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
French chlorofluorocarbure
- chlorofluorocarburean organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
German Fluorchlorkohlenwasserstoffe
- Fluorchlorkohlenwasserstoffean organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
Italian clorofluorocarburo
- clorofluorocarburoan organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
Māori mākōwaro
- mākōwaroan organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
Polish chlorofluorowęglowodór
- chlorofluorowęglowodóran organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
Portuguese clorofluorocarboneto
- clorofluorocarbonetoan organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
Spanish clorofluorocarbono
- clorofluorocarbonoan organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
Tamil பாசிவினைவிக்கரிமம்
- பாசிவினைவிக்கரிமம் (pāciviṉaivikkarimam)an organic compound with halogens in place of hydrogen
Cite this entry
chlorofluorocarbon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chlorofluorocarbon
“chlorofluorocarbon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chlorofluorocarbon. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “chlorofluorocarbon,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chlorofluorocarbon.
Source: chlorofluorocarbon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.