potassium chloride

noun

|Updated on: 17 Jul 2018

Definition of potassium chloride

: a crystalline salt KCl occurring as a mineral and in natural waters and used especially as a fertilizer

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Recent Examples of potassium chloride from the Web

In court filings, corrections Director Scott Frakes said the state’s supply of potassium chloride —a key drug in Nebraska’s protocol — will expire on Aug. 31.

— Washington Post, "Nebraska sets execution date for longest-serving inmate," 5 July 2018
These include severing the umbilical cord or injecting potassium chloride or the medication digoxin into the fetus.

— bill rankin, ajc, "Appeals court seems unlikely to uphold ‘fetal demise’ abortion law," 25 May 2018
Lethal injection has been used in executions since 1977, and a three-drug protocol of sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide and potassium chloride was the standard until 2009.

— david montero, latimes.com, "Nevada Supreme Court hears arguments for using untested paralytic drug in death penalty case," 9 May 2018
There are a few different kinds of potash, but the one that's deposited extensively beneath Michigan is potassium chloride (KCl), known as muriate of potash or MOP.

— keith matheny, Detroit Free Press, "What is potash and why does Michigan have so much of it?," 16 Mar. 2018
Arkansas uses midazolam to sedate inmates before injecting them with vecuronium bromide, which stops their lungs, and potassium chloride, which stops their hearts.

— kelly p. kissel, USA TODAY, "Arkansas executions uncertain as lethal injection drug set to expire," 28 Feb. 2018
The state’s potassium chloride supply expires Aug. 31 and its midazolam is good through Jan. 31, 2019.

— kelly p. kissel, USA TODAY, "Arkansas executions uncertain as lethal injection drug set to expire," 28 Feb. 2018
Sandoval would be injected with the same three drugs proposed in Nevada, plus potassium chloride to stop his heart.

— author: mark berman, william wan, Anchorage Daily News, "The latest idea for states seeking new ways to execute death row prisoners: Opioids," 10 Dec. 2017
Sandoval would be injected with the same three drugs proposed in Nevada, plus potassium chloride to stop his heart.

— author: mark berman, william wan, Anchorage Daily News, "The latest idea for states seeking new ways to execute death row prisoners: Opioids," 10 Dec. 2017

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

First Known Use of potassium chloride

1866

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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Medical Dictionary

potassium chloride

noun

medical Definition of potassium chloride

: a crystalline salt KCl that occurs as a mineral and in natural waters and is used especially in the treatment of potassium deficiency — see k-dur, klor-con