Askarel

/ˈæskərəl/ noun

Definition

A type of synthetic electrical insulating fluid used in transformers and capacitors; a manufactured chemical coolant.

Etymology

A trademark name created for chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons, likely combining 'ask-' (unknown origin, possibly arbitrary) + '-arel' (scientific suffix). The word is a pure invention of 20th-century chemistry with no etymological ancestors.

Kelly Says

Askarel became infamous in the 1970s when scientists discovered it was incredibly toxic and persistent in the environment—it's now banned in many countries, making it a cautionary tale of how chemistry can create problems we didn't anticipate!

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