carbide

noun car·bide \ ˈkär-ˌbīd \

Updated on: 17 Apr 2018

Definition of carbide

1 : a binary compound of carbon with a more electropositive element; especially : calcium carbide

2 : a very hard material made of carbon and one or more heavy metals

Recent Examples of carbide from the Web

The timepiece comes in sapphire crystal dial cover with a sapphire case back, a polished titanium case, and black titanium, carbide-coated bracelet.

— Fortune, "The Best Non-Car Stuff to Buy From Bentley, Porsche, and BMW," 7 Apr. 2018
Harry Daghlian, another physicist at Los Alamos, had attempted a similar experiment the previous year using tungsten-carbide bricks instead of a beryllium dome.

— julian g. west, The Atlantic, "The Atomic-Bomb Core That Escaped World War II," 2 Apr. 2018
After placing a new 10-inch carbide blade on the arbor (the shaft the blade goes on), Romanski used a machinist's square to ensure the blade was perpendicular to the table.

— roy berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, "How to Restore Your Rusted Old Tools," 9 Mar. 2018
The new Cayenne is the first vehicle to offer Porsche’s Surface Coated Brakes, which incorporate a tungsten-carbide surface layer on traditional iron rotors that is intended to extend longevity, improve performance, and reduce brake dust.

— jens meiners, Car and Driver, "2019 Porsche Cayenne Revealed: The Porsche of SUVs, Take Three," 30 Aug. 2017
Three Wisconsin companies are in the third cohort: KW Technologies, based in Milwaukee, is working to produce high-power industrial power supplies using silicon carbide technology.

— sarah hauer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Seven startups begin WERCBench Labs program this week," 28 Aug. 2017
Silicon carbide fibers are strong along their length but can snap across their width under high pressure.

— prachi patel, Scientific American, "Fuzzy Fibers Could Help Rockets Take the Heat," 26 June 2017
Bore on your marks using a hammer drill and a carbide-tip masonry bit sized to suit the plastic screw anchors.

— roy berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, "How to Mount a Mailbox to the Side of Your Home," 28 May 2017
BRAKES To slow down, mushers lower a drag pad with carbide metal studs that won't wear down in ice.

— wired staff, WIRED, "Polar Express," 1 Mar. 2007

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'carbide.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of carbide

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First Known Use: circa 1865

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carbide

noun car·bide \ ˈkär-ˌbīd \

medical Definition of carbide

: a binary compound of carbon with a more electropositive element

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carbide

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