Freon-12
/ˈfriːɑːn twɛlv/noun
A former trademarked name for dichlorodifluoromethane, a chlorofluorocarbon once widely used as a refrigerant.
Did you know?Freon-12 was phased out under the Montreal Protocol because its chlorine atoms catalytically destroy stratospheric ozone, despite the compound being chemically stable near Earth’s surface.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*prews-
“A reconstructed root associated with freezing or becoming cold; often connected with later Germanic cold-weather vocabulary.”
Old English
Old English
frēosan
“To freeze or become solid through cold.”
Middle English
Middle English
fresen
“To freeze; the source of modern English “freeze.””
1930
English trademark
Freon
“A coined trade name introduced for a new class of refrigerants; its precise formation is uncertain but was likely chosen for its association with freezing and refrigeration.”
1930s
Chemical nomenclature
Freon-12 / R-12
“The designation applied to dichlorodifluoromethane, identified by the refrigerant number R-12.”
Modern English
English
Freon-12
“A historical refrigerant name, now largely obsolete because production was banned under ozone-protection agreements.”