nitride

American

[nahy-trahyd, -trid] / ˈnaɪ traɪd, -trɪd /

noun

Chemistry.

a compound, containing two elements only, of which the more electronegative one is nitrogen.

nitride British

/ ˈnaɪtraɪd /

noun

a compound of nitrogen with a more electropositive element, for example magnesium nitride, Mg 3 N 2

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of nitride

1840–50; nitr- + -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:

nitride

BelGaN, based in Belgium, specialized in making gallium nitride semiconductors, which allow for higher voltages compared with silicon-based chips.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

The team also produced nanocrystals from several related nitride materials, including titanium nitride, which is used in medical implants; niobium nitride, an important industrial superconductor; and molybdenum nitride, which is commonly used as a catalyst.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026

Gallium nitride chargers, a lighter-weight but often pricier option, are also a solid bet.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

"This design is especially attractive because it does not require any component that is difficult to make on this erbium-doped silicon nitride chip," explains Zheru Qiu, a co-leading author of the paper.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 4, 2026

The difference is that, in this case, the stronger fibers are borazon—boron nitride formed under tremendous pressure—while the softer matrix is composed of tungsten carbide.

From Thin Edge by Randall Garrett

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023