cyanide
noun
cy·a·nide
ˈsī-ə-ˌnīd 
-nəd
1
: a compound of cyanogen with a more electropositive element or group: such as
b
2
Examples of cyanide in a Sentence
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Their case alleged that thousands of gallons of water runoff from the system, containing pollutants like cyanide, copper, and chromium, have spilled into sensitive local waterways, according to government documents obtained by NPR.
—
Henry Gass, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Oct. 2024
In 1946: Nazi leader Hermann Goering, who was convicted during the Nuremberg trials, committed suicide by swallowing a cyanide capsule in his prison cell hours before his scheduled hanging for war crimes.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 15 Oct. 2024
Once mining begins, harmful chemicals like mercury and cyanide pollute nearby rivers.
—Jalynn Hilton, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2024
To give just one example, compounds of iron and cyanide (ferrocyanides) have been found to be crucial for producing the nucleotide building blocks of RNA.
—Mario Livio, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2024
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Henry Gass, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Oct. 2024
In 1946: Nazi leader Hermann Goering, who was convicted during the Nuremberg trials, committed suicide by swallowing a cyanide capsule in his prison cell hours before his scheduled hanging for war crimes.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 15 Oct. 2024
Once mining begins, harmful chemicals like mercury and cyanide pollute nearby rivers.
—Jalynn Hilton, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2024
To give just one example, compounds of iron and cyanide (ferrocyanides) have been found to be crucial for producing the nucleotide building blocks of RNA.
—Mario Livio, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cyanide
Dictionary Entries Near cyanide
Cite this Entry
“Cyanide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cyanide. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cyanide
noun
cy·a·nide
ˈsī-ə-ˌnīd
-nəd
: a very poisonous compound consisting of carbon and nitrogen with either sodium or potassium
Medical Definition
cyanide
noun
cy·a·nide
ˈsī-ə-ˌnīd, -nəd
: any of several compounds (as potassium cyanide) that contain the radical CN having a chemical valence of one, react with and inactivate respiratory enzymes, and are rapidly lethal producing drowsiness, tachycardia, coma, and finally death
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