Definition

A colorless liquid chemical compound made of carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine, used mainly as a solvent and in the production of other chemicals.

Example

Dichloroethane is often used in laboratories for dissolving various substances.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of dichloroethane?

Yeah, I think it's used as a solvent, right?

Exactly! It's a colorless liquid, but it's pretty toxic too.

I should be careful if I ever come across it in a lab.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Dichloroethane is formed from "di-" (meaning two), "chloro" (from Greek "chloros", meaning green, referring to chlorine), and "ethane" (from Greek "aithan", meaning to burn, referring to the ethyl group). The word describes a chemical compound that contains two chlorine atoms attached to an ethane molecule.

Memory Tip

Think of 'two' ('di-') chlorine atoms ('chloro') attached to an 'ethane' molecule — that's what dichloroethane is.

Visually Confused Words