Definition
A colorless liquid chemical that causes unconsciousness when breathed in, historically used as an anesthetic but now known to be dangerous.
Etymology
From French 'chloroforme,' a compound name combining Greek 'chloros' (green) and Latin 'forma' (form). Discovered in 1831, it became the first widely used anesthetic before its dangers became apparent.
Kelly Says
Chloroform was hailed as a miracle drug in the 1800s—Queen Victoria used it during childbirth, making it fashionable—but people didn't realize it could cause liver damage and death, showing how excitement over new medicine can ignore serious risks!
Translations
AMአማርኛ
chloroform
klor-o-form
ARالعربية
كلوروفورم
klıːrūf ʊrʊm
BNবাংলা
ক্লোরোফর্ম
klor-o-form
CACatalà
cloroform
klor-o-form
CSČeština
chloroform
klor-o-form
DADansk
kloroform
klor-o-form
DEDeutsch
Chloroform
klor-o-form
ELΕλληνικά
χλωροφόρμ
hloo-ro-for-mu
ESEspañol
cloroformo
klor-o-for-mo
FAفارسی
کلروفرم
klor-o-form
FISuomi
kloroformi
klor-o-for-mi
FRFrançais
chloroforme
klor-o-form
GUGU
ક્લોરોફોર્મ
klor-o-foor-m
HAHA
chloroform
klor-o-form
HEעברית
כלורופורם
khlōrō-for-m
HIहिन्दी
क्लोरोफॉर्म
klor-o-form
HUMagyar
kloroform
klor-o-form
IDBahasa Indonesia
kloroform
klor-o-form
IGIG
chloroform
klor-o-form
ITItaliano
cloroformio
klo-ro-for-mio
JA日本語
クロロホルム
Kuro-ro-ho-rumu
KKKK
хлороформ
khloroform
KMKM
ច្លូរូហ្វ័រម
chloor-oo-hvor-m
MRMR
क्लोरोफॉर्म
klor-o-form
MSBahasa Melayu
kloroform
klor-o-form
MYမြန်မာ
ချလောရိုဖောင်
cha-lo-ro-fo-ng
NLNederlands
chloorvorm
klor-vorm
NONorsk
kloroform
klor-o-form
PAPA
ਕਲੋਰੋਫਾਰਮ
klor-o-foar-m
PLPolski
chloroform
klor-o-form
PTPortuguês
clorofórmio
klor-o-form-io
RORomână
cloroform
klor-o-form
RUРусский
хлороформ
khloroform
SVSvenska
kloroform
klor-o-form
SWKiswahili
klorofomu
klor-o-fo-mu
TAதமிழ்
குளோரோஃபார்ம்
kloo-ro-foarm
TEతెలుగు
క్లోరోఫార్మ్
klor-o-foar-m
THไทย
คลอโรฟอร์ม
klong-ro-form
TLTL
kloroform
klor-o-form
TRTürkçe
kloroform
klor-o-form
UKУкраїнська
хлороформ
khloroform
URاردو
کلوروفارم
klor-o-form
VITiếng Việt
clo-ro-phorm
klo-ro-form
YOYO
chloroform
klor-o-form
ZUZU
ikhlorofomu
i-klor-o-fo-mu
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Chloroform was infamously used in 19th-century medicine to anesthetize women during childbirth and surgery, often without consent. The same substance was weaponized against women in assault narratives, creating associations between the drug and female vulnerability.
Inclusive Usage
Use clinically when discussing anesthesia history. When referencing historical harm, explicitly name the gendered violation rather than neutralizing it as mere 'medical practice.'
Inclusive Alternatives
["anesthetic","ether","anesthesia"]
Empowerment Note
Women physicians like Marie Stopes challenged unethical anesthesia practices and fought for informed consent in medical care—contributions often erased in chemical history.