noun
cyanide
SEYE-uh-nyd
noun
1
Any of a group of highly toxic chemical compounds containing a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom.
"Cyanide compounds are used in some industrial processes despite their extreme toxicity."
2
Sodium or potassium cyanide, a fast-acting poison, or hydrogen cyanide gas.
"The detective suspected cyanide poisoning as the cause of death."
verb
1
To treat, extract, or kill using cyanide.
"Miners once cyanided ore to separate out traces of gold."
How to Use Cyanide
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA highly poisonous chemical, famous as a deadly poison but also used industrially, notably in gold extraction.
Common pairings
cyanide poisoning
potassium cyanide
cyanide gas
Word Forms
cyanided past tense, cyanides plural, cyanides singular
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_____ compounds are used in some industrial processes despite their extreme toxicity.
Etymology
From cyan- (referring to the blue pigment Prussian blue, in which the compound was first identified) plus the chemical suffix -ide.