dechlorinator
|de-chlor-i-na-tor|
🇺🇸
/diːˈklɔːrəneɪtɚ/
🇬🇧
/diːˈklɔːrəneɪtə/
(dechlorinate)
remove chlorine
Etymology
'dechlorinator' originates from Latin prefix 'de-' meaning 'remove' combined with 'chlorine,' ultimately from Greek 'chloros,' and the agent-forming suffix '-ator' from Latin meaning 'one who does'.
'chlorine' comes from Greek 'chloros' meaning 'greenish-yellow'; it entered Modern Latin/English as 'chlorine.' The verb 'dechlorinate' was formed in modern English by adding the prefix 'de-' to 'chlorinate,' and 'dechlorinator' developed as the agent noun using the suffix '-ator'.
Initially 'chloros' referred to a greenish-yellow color; over time the root came to name the chemical element 'chlorine.' The modern word 'dechlorinator' now specifically means a device or chemical that removes chlorine.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a device or piece of equipment that removes chlorine from water (for example, in aquariums, pools, or industrial systems).
The aquarium's dechlorinator made the tap water safe for the fish.
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Noun 2
a chemical agent used to neutralize or remove free chlorine or chloramines from water (for example, sodium thiosulfate used to treat tap water before adding it to an aquarium).
Add a dechlorinator to the bucket before pouring the tap water into the pond.
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Last updated: 2025/10/19 06:24