cyanide
Americannoun
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cyanides
plural
verb (used with object)
noun
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any salt of hydrocyanic acid. Cyanides contain the ion CN – and are extremely poisonous
-
another name (not in technical usage) for nitrile
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of cyanide
1820–30; cyan- 3 + -ide ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Hydrogen cyanide appears to originate mostly from the comet's central body, or nucleus.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 9, 2026
The observations revealed a striking contrast between methanol and hydrogen cyanide.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 9, 2026
All of the affected elephants - mainly female adults and their calves - had also shown signs of paralysis, which authorities believe also points to cyanide poisoning.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Not only does the extraction of metals like gold involve large amounts of water, but it also uses cyanide and releases other pollutants, posing major environmental and health risks.
From Barron's ● May 15, 2026
The roots of the cassava, a plant in Africa, contain the poison cyanide.
From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan
Some carbon-containing compounds are not classified as organic, for example, carbonates and cyanides, and simple oxides, such as CO and CO2.
From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019
Opponents have particularly expressed concerns over the 57,000 tonnes of explosives, 46,500 tonnes of cyanides and 142m litres of fuel WWF estimated the company will use over the mine’s 12-year lifespan.
From The Guardian ● Apr. 27, 2018
And after the war, he used his know-how to develop pesticides - including that notorious group of nitrogen-based toxins, the cyanides.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2014
Other suspect factors: "Ammonia, pyridine and pyridine derivative, cyanides and sulpho-cyanides, arsenic."
From Time Magazine Archive
Huggins had found organic matter in the comets; in subsequent years cyanogen, CN, consisting of a carbon and a nitrogen atom, the molecular fragment that makes cyanides, was identified in the tails of comets.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
In some cases the crushed ore straight from the crushing mill is cyanided, in others it is simply the remains left over from the previous amalgamating process which is thus treated.
Some 25,000 persons yearly visited the prefectural 12-chō experiment station, which within a year had distributed to farmers 7,600 cyanided fruit trees and 80 bushels of special seed rice.
From The Foundations of Japan Notes Made During Journeys Of 6,000 Miles In The Rural Districts As A Basis For A Sounder Knowledge Of The Japanese People by J.W. Robertson Scott
Cyanide Charges, etc.—In assaying the "tailings" which are to be treated in a cyaniding plant the following charge is used: Tailings 3 assay tons or 100 grams.
From A Text-book of Assaying: For the Use of Those Connected with Mines. by Cornelius Beringer
The Phelps crowd began to set up a small crusher and cyaniding plant that had been trucked over the trails.
From Ruth Fielding In the Saddle College Girls in the Land of Gold by Alice B. Emerson
The total cost per ton of ore treated is about 6s., of which the cyaniding costs from 2s. to 4s.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 2 "Gloss" to "Gordon, Charles George" by Various
The methods employed are multitudinous, but may be divided into four classes, namely, washing, amalgamating with mercury, chlorinating, cyaniding and other leaching processes, and smelting.
From Getting Gold: a practical treatise for prospectors, miners and students by J. C. F. (Joseph Colin Frances) Johnson
The boys were deeply impressed as they looked down into the valley where the mining, milling, and cyaniding were going on.
From Frank Merriwell, Junior's, Golden Trail or, The Fugitive Professor by Burt L. Standish
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