CFC
UK[ˌsiːefˈsiː]US[ˌsiːefˈsiː]
[noun]
A type of chlorofluorocarbon, a compound formerly used as a refrigerant and aerosol propellant but now largely banned due to its damaging effect on the ozone layer.
Etymology
CFC is an initialism formed in the 20th century from the chemical compound name "chlorofluorocarbon". This name itself is a modern scientific construction, combining the elements "chloro-" (from chlorine, indicating the presence of chlorine atoms), "fluoro-" (from fluorine, indicating the presence of fluorine atoms), and "carbon" (indicating the hydrocarbon base). The term entered widespread public discourse in the 1970s and 1980s following scientific discoveries that linked the release of CFCs into the atmosphere with the depletion of the Earth's protective ozone layer, leading to international regulatory treaties like the Montreal Protocol.
Analysis
This is an initialism, not formed from combinable morphemes. It stands for "Chlorofluorocarbon".
Examples
The use of CFCs in refrigerators and air conditioners has been phased out under international agreement.
Scientists identified CFCs as the primary cause of the hole in the ozone layer.
Old aerosol cans might still contain propellants made from CFCs.