What's Trending Now
More Trending Words
boron trifluoride
noun
Definition of boron trifluoride
: a colorless pungent gas BF3 that fumes in moist air, that is made usually by reaction of a boron compound (such as borax) with a fluoride (such as hydrogen fluoride) and then sulfuric acid, and that is used chiefly as an acidic catalyst in organic reactions (such as alkylations and polymerizations)
From the M-W Editors
There's more!
Love words? You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.
Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:
- More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
- Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
- Advanced search features
- Ad free!
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up boron trifluoride? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!