trichloroethylene

/trʌɪˌklɔːrəʊˈɛθɪliːn/

noun

The unsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon CCl₂=CHCl used as an industrial solvent and formerly as an anaesthetic.

“The nurse gave the woman in labour trichloroethylene, a chemical also used to clean metal parts.”

Similar
TCEtrichloroethenetrichloroethane
UncommonScrabble 28
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Meanings

nountrichloroethylene (countable and uncountable, plural trichloroethylenes)

plural trichloroethylenes · alternative trichlorethylene

  1. countableuncountablechemistryThe unsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon CCl₂=CHCl used as an industrial solvent and formerly as an anaesthetic.

    The nurse gave the woman in labour trichloroethylene, a chemical also used to clean metal parts.

    Synonyms: TCE, trichloroethene

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe unsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon CCl₂=CHCl used as an industrial solvent and formerly as an anaesthetic.

Similar
TCEtrichloroethene

More synonyms by meaning

nouna heavy colorless highly toxic liquid used as a solvent to clean electronic components and for dry cleaning and as a fumigant; causes cancer and liver and lung damage

Similar
trichloroethaneTCE
Broader
ethyleneethene
Also see
tcetrichloroethanetrichloroethene

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

tri- + chloro- + ethylene (“ethyl (“eth- + -yl”) + -ene”)

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 三氯乙烯
  • 三氯乙烯 (sānlǜyǐxī)unsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon
Finnish trikloorietyleeni
  • trikloorietyleeniunsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon
French trichloroéthylène
  • trichloroéthylèneunsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon
German Trichlorethylen, Trichlorethen
  • Trichlorethylenunsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon
  • Trichlorethenunsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon
Hebrew טריכלורואתילן
  • טריכלורואתילןunsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon
Italian tricloroetilene
  • tricloroetileneunsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon
Latin trichloraethylenum
  • trichloraethylenumunsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon
Portuguese tricloroetileno
  • tricloroetilenounsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon
Romanian tricloroetilenă
  • tricloroetilenăunsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon
Spanish tricloroetileno
  • tricloroetilenounsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon
Turkish trikloroetilen
  • trikloroetilenunsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“trichloroethylene.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/trichloroethylene. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “trichloroethylene,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/trichloroethylene.

Source: trichloroethylene on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.