trichloroethylene

noun

tri·​chlo·​ro·​eth·​y·​lene ˌtrī-ˌklȯr-ō-ˈe-thə-ˌlēn 

: a nonflammable toxic liquid C₂HCl₃ used especially as an industrial solvent

Examples of trichloroethylene in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And last week, the EPA asked a federal appeals court to further delay the ban until the end of May. TCE, short for trichloroethylene, is one of five toxic substances for which full or partial bans put in place by the EPA under President Joe Biden are now under threat. —Sharon Lerner, ProPublica, 26 Mar. 2025

Other pollutants that alarmed the EWG researchers were volatile organic compounds, like trichloroethylene (TCE), nitrates, heavy metals like arsenic and disinfection byproducts. —Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 26 Feb. 2025

During that time, dangerous chemicals including trichloroethylene and dichloroethylene contaminated the site, according to a report by WUSA 9. —Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025

Others impose new fees for industry releases of methane, a potent warming gas; ban the manufacture of trichloroethylene, a toxic chemical solvent; and cut leaks of another warming gas, hydrofluorocarbons, from refrigeration equipment. —Bydan Charles, science.org, 7 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1919, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for trichloroethylene

• apolipoprotein
• dimethylaniline
• hydroxytryptamine
• metallothionein
• oxyacetylene
• phenoxybenzamine
• phosphatidylserine
• triethanolamine
• acetylene
• adenosine
• amphetamine
• anthropocene

Medical Definition

trichloroethylene

noun

tri·​chlo·​ro·​eth·​y·​lene

variants also trichlorethylene

-ˈeth-ə-ˌlēn 

: a nonflammable liquid C₂HCl₃ used as a solvent and in medicine as an anesthetic and analgesic

—abbreviation TCE