phosgene

noun

phos·gene | \ ˈfäz-ˌjēn

Definition of phosgene

: a colorless gas COCl₂ of unpleasant odor that is a severe respiratory irritant that has been used in chemical warfare

Examples of phosgene in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The sounds were deafening — the thunderous detonations of exploding munitions, the loud staccato bursts of machine gun fire, the shriek of whistles as German chlorine and phosgene gas were unleashed, and the screams of the wounded. — Special To The Oregonian, OregonLive.com, "Memorial Day 2018: Remembering two peace-loving Oregon boys who died in France," 28 May 2018 Mustard gas crawling over the trenches caused debilitating injuries, while soldiers exposed to chlorine and phosgene gases suffocated in a most gruesome manner. — Dawn Mitchell, Indianapolis Star, "How peach pits helped us win The Great War," 20 Apr. 2018 It is widely reported to possess a large arsenal of chemical weapons, including mustard, phosgene and sarin gas, a United States Congressional Research Service report said last year. — Richard C. Paddock And Choe Sang-hun, New York Times, "Kim Jong-nam Was Killed by VX Nerve Agent, Malaysians Say," 23 Feb. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'phosgene.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.