hypochlorous acid

noun

A weak, unstable acid, HOCl, known only in solution; it is made by the action of chlorine on water and, along with its salts, the hypochlorites, occurs naturally in biology and has various practical uses in disinfection.

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Meanings

nounhypochlorous acid (uncountable)
  1. uncountablechemistryA weak, unstable acid, HOCl, known only in solution; it is made by the action of chlorine on water and, along with its salts, the hypochlorites, occurs naturally in biology and has various practical uses in disinfection.

Origin

From hypo- + chlorous acid.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Cantonese 次氯酸
  • 次氯酸 (ci³ luk⁶ syun¹)a weak acid; HOCl
Chinese Mandarin 次氯酸
  • 次氯酸 (cìlǜsuān)a weak acid; HOCl
Greek υποχλωριώδες οξύ
  • υποχλωριώδες οξύ (ypochloriódes oxý)a weak acid; HOCl
Hungarian hipoklórossav
  • hipoklórossava weak acid; HOCl
Romanian acid hipocloros
  • acid hipoclorosa weak acid; HOCl
Swedish underklorsyrlighet
  • underklorsyrligheta weak acid; HOCl
Cite this entry
APA

hypochlorous acid. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypochlorous%20acid

MLA

“hypochlorous acid.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypochlorous%20acid. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hypochlorous acid,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypochlorous%20acid.

Source: hypochlorous acid on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.