cyanide

American  

[sahy-uh-nahyd, -nid] / ˈsaɪ əˌnaɪd, -nɪd /

noun

1. Chemistry. Also cyanid

   1. a salt of hydrocyanic acid, as potassium cyanide, KCN.

   2. a nitrile, as methyl cyanide, C 2 H 3 N.

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verb (used with object)

cyanided, cyaniding

1. to treat with a cyanide, as an ore in order to extract gold.

cyanide British  

/ ˈsaɪəˌnaɪd, ˈsaɪənɪd /

noun

1. any salt of hydrocyanic acid. Cyanides contain the ion CN ^– and are extremely poisonous

2. another name (not in technical usage) for nitrile

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cyanide Scientific  

/ sī′ə-nīd′ /

1. Any of a large group of chemical compounds containing the radical CN, especially the very poisonous salts sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide. Cyanides are used to make plastics and to extract and treat metals.

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Other Word Forms

• cyanidation noun
• subcyanid noun
• subcyanide noun

Etymology

Origin of cyanide

1820–30; cyan- ³ + -ide ( def. )

Example Sentences

He said military personnel had spotted another Chinese sampan crew poisoning waters near the shoal last month, and that samples later tested positive for cyanide.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

Dangerous chemicals like mercury and sodium cyanide are used to separate the gold from the ore.

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

In this reaction, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, and aldehydes or ketones combine in liquid water.

From Science Daily • Feb. 12, 2026

By analyzing the chemical behavior of the crystal surfaces, the researchers identified two reaction pathways that could transform hydrogen cyanide into hydrogen isocyanide, a more reactive compound.

From Science Daily • Jan. 16, 2026

He was perfecting a technique by which the gold could be leached out of the rock by processing it with a cyanide solution.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls