chloroform

/ˈklɒɹə(ʊ)ˌfɔː(ɹ)m/

//ˈklɒɹə(ʊ)ˌfɔː(ɹ)m// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"chloroform" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“chloroform” has 16 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #37,379. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#37,379
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
16
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A halogenated hydrocarbon, trichloromethane, CHCl₃; it is a volatile, sweet-smelling liquid, used extensively as a solvent and formerly as an anesthetic.

Corpus desk

Index EN-chloroform · chloroform · English

chloroform · rank #37,379 · 16 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #37,379
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 16 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH chirp

Nearest frequency peer: chirp (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “chloroform”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “chloroform” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for chloroform
PropertyValue
Headwordchloroform
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈklɒɹə(ʊ)ˌfɔː(ɹ)m/
Letters10
Frequency rank#37,379
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “chloroform”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).chloroformlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “chirp” (#37,378), “chromatin” (#37,380), “chiffon” (#37,377). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “chloroform” is #37,379. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 16 spelling variants around chloroform (IPA /ˈklɒɹə(ʊ)ˌfɔː(ɹ)m/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #37,379 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Dominant gloss: "A halogenated hydrocarbon, trichloromethane, CHCl₃; it is a volatile, sweet-smelling liquid, used extensively as a solvent and formerly as an anesthetic.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for chloroform, with forms such as "cchloroform", "chhloroform", and "chlloroform". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French chloroforme, portmanteau of terchloride (tertiary chloride, trichloride) and formyle (CH, an obsolete radical of formic acid) by Jean-Baptiste Dumas, from 1834. By surface analysis, chloro- + -form. The correct English form is chloroform, spelled C-H-L-O-R-O-F-O-R-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    A halogenated hydrocarbon, trichloromethane, CHCl₃; it is a volatile, sweet-smelling liquid, used extensively as a solvent and formerly as an anesthetic.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how chloroform appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Some assume that chloroform is a gas because it was given by inhalation.

Etymology

Borrowed from French chloroforme, portmanteau of terchloride (tertiary chloride, trichloride) and formyle (CH, an obsolete radical of formic acid) by Jean-Baptiste Dumas, from 1834. By surface analysis, chloro- + -form.

This word in other languages

cloroformo(Español)chloroforme(Français)Chloroform(Deutsch)clorofórmio(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • cchloroform
  • chhloroform
  • chlloroform
  • chloorform
  • chlorfoorm
  • chlorofform
  • chlorofomr
  • chloroformm
  • chloroforrm
  • chlorofrom
  • chloroofrm
  • chlorroform
  • chlrooform
  • cholroform
  • clhoroform
  • hcloroform

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of chloroform - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

cchloroform1chhloroform1chlloroform1chloorform2chlorfoorm2chlorofform1chlorofomr2chloroformm1
Edit distance from "chloroform"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "chloroform"?
"chloroform" is spelled C-H-L-O-R-O-F-O-R-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈklɒɹə(ʊ)ˌfɔː(ɹ)m/.
What does "chloroform" mean?
As a noun, "chloroform" means: A halogenated hydrocarbon, trichloromethane, CHCl₃; it is a volatile, sweet-smelling liquid, used extensively as a solvent and formerly as an anesthetic.
What are common misspellings of "chloroform"?
Common misspellings include "cchloroform", "chhloroform", "chlloroform", "chloorform", "chlorfoorm". The correct spelling is "chloroform".
How do you pronounce "chloroform"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chloroform" is /ˈklɒɹə(ʊ)ˌfɔː(ɹ)m/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "chloroform"?
Borrowed from French chloroforme, portmanteau of terchloride (tertiary chloride, trichloride) and formyle (CH, an obsolete radical of formic acid) by Jean-Baptiste Dumas, from 1834. By surface analysis, chloro- + -form. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "chloroform", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

capricious#37,366conveyance#37,396cottonwood#37,402crankshaft#37,404

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (16 here; floor ≥5).

ascertained16 variantsindustrious16 variantsrestlessness16 variantsmatchmaker16 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list