cyanide

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

noun

Also cy·a·nid [sahy-uh-nid] /ˈsaɪ ə nɪd/. Chemistry.
  1. a salt of hydrocyanic acid, as potassium cyanide, KCN.
  2. a nitrile, as methyl cyanide, C2H3N.

verb (used with object), cy·a·nid·ed, cy·a·nid·ing.

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

Origin of cyanide

1820–30; cyan-3 + -ide

OTHER WORDS FROM cyanide

sub·cy·a·nid, noun sub·cy·a·nide, noun

Words nearby cyanide

cyanamide, cyanate, cyaneous, cyanic, cyanic acid, cyanide, cyanide process, cyanine, cyanite, cyanmethemoglobin, cyano

Example sentences from the Web for cyanide

British Dictionary definitions for cyanide

cyanide

cyanid (ˈsaɪənɪd)

/ (ˈsaɪəˌnaɪd) /

noun

any salt of hydrocyanic acid. Cyanides contain the ion CN – and are extremely poisonous
another name (not in technical usage) for nitrile

Derived forms of cyanide

cyanidation, noun

Medical definitions for cyanide

cyanide
[ sī′ə-nīd′ ]

n.

Any of various salts or esters of hydrogen cyanide containing a CN group, especially the extremely poisonous compounds potassium cyanide and sodium cyanide.

Scientific definitions for cyanide

cyanide
[ sī′ə-nīd′ ]

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.