Definition of calcium cyanide
: a compound Ca(CN)2 that gives off hydrogen cyanide on exposure to air, is made usually in impure black or gray flakes, powder, or cast blocks by heating crude calcium cyanamide in the presence of salt in an electric furnace, and is used chiefly as an insecticide and rodenticide and in making hydrogen cyanide and ferrocyanides
— called also black cyanide
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on calcium cyanide
What made you want to look up calcium cyanide? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times
- What is an earlier meaning of nice?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
- Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times
Do you know these earlier meanings of words?
Take the quiz - Words of Snow and Ice Quiz
A selection of words from the chillier parts of t...
Take the quiz - Spell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quiz - Word Winder's CrossWinder Play the game
Share calcium cyanide
Time Traveler for calcium cyanide
The first known use of calcium cyanide was circa 1893
See more words from the same year