Chlorogenic

/ˌklɔːroʊˈdʒɛnɪk/ adjective

Definition

Producing or containing chlorine, or relating to compounds that generate chlorine through chemical reactions.

Etymology

From chloro- 'containing chlorine' + -genic 'producing or generating'. The term emerged in 19th-century chemistry to describe reactions and compounds.

Kelly Says

Chlorogenic acid, found abundantly in coffee beans, isn't actually chlorine-containing at all—it was named when chemists mistakenly thought the compound produced chlorine during decomposition, but the name stuck even after the error was discovered.

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