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

But considering the firepower involved, the newly formed Cyanide Syndicate is basically the Justice League of local hip-hop.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 22, 2020

Cyanide poisoning is still an occasional problem; people take shortcuts because cultural learning is still incomplete.

From BBC • Sep. 3, 2019

In San Francisco, Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government alumni and graduates of similar programs are selling tickets to a watch party they have dubbed “Champagne or Cyanide? It’s Election Night!”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 1, 2016

Animated "Bee and Puppycat" "Blank on Blank" "Cyanide & Happiness" "RWBY" "sWooZie"

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 12, 2015

He done so, and I went back home to where the whole camp of Cyanide was waitin'.

From Arizona Nights by White, Stewart Edward