halocarbon

noun

hal·​o·​car·​bon ˈha-lə-ˌkär-bən How to pronounce halocarbon (audio)
: any of various compounds of carbon and one or more halogens

Examples of halocarbon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Trends in halocarbon concentrations in the atmosphere, including ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons. Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2015 Organisms in all kingdoms can make halocarbons, though in minute quantities and typically for highly specialized purposes such as self-defense or signaling mates. Rebecca Altman, The Atlantic, 4 Oct. 2017 Species far older than us, microbes mostly, have evolved over millennia to coexist with, and even to synthesize and break down, specific types of biogenic halocarbons. Rebecca Altman, The Atlantic, 4 Oct. 2017

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of halocarbon was in 1950

Dictionary Entries Near halocarbon

Cite this Entry

“Halocarbon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/halocarbon. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on halocarbon

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!