lead azide

noun

: a crystalline explosive compound Pb(N3)2 used as a detonating agent

Examples of lead azide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in southeast Iowa will reopen on Monday, March 30, after having been closed down since March 12 to review and ensure safe storage of highly explosive lead azide. Kevin Baskins, Des Moines Register, 27 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1918, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lead azide was in 1918

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lead azide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lead%20azide. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on lead azide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster