Word
cyanide
US/ˈsaɪˌnaɪd/
UK/sˈaɪɐnˌaɪd/
Definition
n. a very strong and dangerous poison that can kill quickly. It is often used in movies or books as a fast-acting chemical.
n. a highly toxic chemical compound containing the cyano group, consisting of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. It acts as a potent respiratory inhibitor in living organisms.
Examples
“The detective found traces of cyanide in the victim's tea.”
“Industrial plants must follow strict safety protocols when handling cyanide to prevent accidental exposure or environmental contamination.”
“While naturally occurring in trace amounts in certain fruit pits, concentrated cyanide is historically notorious for its use as a lethal agent due to its ability to rapidly halt cellular respiration.”
Examples
simple
“The detective found traces of cyanide in the victim's tea.”
contextual
“Industrial plants must follow strict safety protocols when handling cyanide to prevent accidental exposure or environmental contamination.”
complex
“While naturally occurring in trace amounts in certain fruit pits, concentrated cyanide is historically notorious for its use as a lethal agent due to its ability to rapidly halt cellular respiration.”
Usage
Usually uncountable when referring to the chemical substance; can be countable when referring to specific chemical salts (e.g., 'alkali cyanides').
Real-World Examples
“Mathew Francis Betkouski, used cyanide to kill himself in December 1982 and was carrying $1,900 but no ID.” “The investigation is looking into whether the elephants died from cyanide poisoning after eating large quantities of tomatoes sprayed with illegal pesticides.” Etymology
From cyan- + -ide.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/cyanide