chlorofluorocarbon

[klawr-oh-floo r-oh-kahr-buh n, -flawr-; klohr-oh-floo r-oh-kahr-buh n, -flohr-] /ˌklɔr oʊˌflʊər oʊˈkɑr bən, -ˌflɔr-; ˌkloʊr oʊˌflʊər oʊˈkɑr bən, -ˌfloʊr-/
noun
1.
any of several volatile, inert, saturated compounds of carbon, fluorine, chlorine, and hydrogen: used as refrigerants, foam-blowing agents, solvents, and, formerly, as aerosol propellants until scientists became concerned about depletion of the atmospheric ozone layer.
Compare chlorofluoromethane.
Origin of chlorofluorocarbon
1945-50; chloro-2 + fluorocarbon
Examples from the web for chlorofluorocarbons
  • Regulations are outlawing certain refrigerants, such as chlorofluorocarbons, which contain ozone-depleting chemicals.
  • Thanks to the global ban on chlorofluorocarbons, stratospheric ozone levels there are slowly recovering.
British Dictionary definitions for chlorofluorocarbons

chlorofluorocarbon

/ˌklɔːrəˌflʊərəʊˈkɑːbən/
noun
1.
(chem) any of various gaseous compounds of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine, used as refrigerants, aerosol propellants, solvents, and in foam: some cause a breakdown of ozone in the earth's atmosphere CFC
Word Origin and History for chlorofluorocarbons

chlorofluorocarbon

n.

by 1946, from chloro- + fluorocarbon, from fluor + connective -o- + carbon.

chlorofluorocarbons in Science
chlorofluorocarbon
  (klôr'ō-flr'ō-kär'bən)   
A fluorocarbon containing chlorine. Chlorofluorocarbons are destructive to the Earth's ozone layer. For this reason, the production and use of chlorofluorocarbons has been sharply reduced in recent years.