calcium cyanide
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
People Are Reading
There's more!
Love words? You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.
Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:
- More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
- Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
- Advanced search features
- Ad free!
First Known Use of calcium cyanide
circa 1893
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up calcium cyanide? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!