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chloroform (n.)

"trichloromethane," volatile, colorless liquid used as an anaesthetic, 1835, from French chloroforme, a hybrid coined 1834 by French chemist Jean-Baptiste Dumas (1800-1884) from chloro-, combining form meaning "chlorine" (see chlorine), + formique "formic (acid)" (see formic (adj.)).

As a verb, "to subject to the influence of chloroform," from 1848, the year its anaesthetic properties were discovered. Related: Chloroformed.

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Definitions of chloroform from WordNet
1
chloroform (v.)
anesthetize with chloroform;
Doctors used to put people under by chloroforming them
2
chloroform (n.)
a volatile liquid haloform (CHCl3); formerly used as an anesthetic;
chloroform was the first inhalation anesthetic
Synonyms: trichloromethane
From wordnet.princeton.edu