Chloroformed

/ˈklɔːroʊfɔːrmd/ adjective

Definition

Treated with or exposed to chloroform, the liquid chemical once infamously used to render people unconscious in old crime stories.

Etymology

From 'chloroform' + '-ed' (past participle). Chloroform itself comes from 'chloro-' + 'form' (from formic), named for its origin in chlorine and formic compounds.

Kelly Says

Chloroform became famous in Victorian crime fiction as the 'knockout drug,' but in reality, it's incredibly dangerous—people can die from a single dose because it causes cardiac arrhythmias, which is why anesthesiologists quickly abandoned it for safer drugs.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.