Chlorin

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A chemical element with the atomic number 17, commonly used as a disinfectant and in water treatment ; a greenish-yellow gas with a strong odor employed in the manufacture of various compounds ; a reactive halogen element essential for industrial and household cleaning processes
2. A halogen element recognized by its yellow-green gas form used in bleaching and sanitizing ; an element utilized in producing plastics and solvents ; a toxic gas involved in chemical reactions and water purification
3. An element characterized by its distinctive color and odor, widely applied in disinfection and chemical synthesis ; a gaseous halogen often used to eliminate bacteria ; an essential component in producing vinyl chloride and other industrial products

Etymology: Humphry Davy, the British chemist, named this element in 1810, and the name comes from the Greek "khlōrós," meaning "pale green." That colour is the giveaway: chlorine gas is a yellowish-green, and it was the gas's appearance that inspired the name rather than any sense of disinfection or industry. Davy took the Greek root and added the chemical suffix "-ine," the same ending used for other halogens such as iodine and fluorine. The Greek adjective "khlōrós" had a wide range of colours. It described fresh green growth, such as young leaves and grass, and also paleness in a person's complexion. The Greek root is related to words for green things and for yellowish tints, so the element is named after a colour rather than a smell, even though the gas's sharp odour is equally distinctive.