: a binary compound of phosphorus with a more electropositive element or group
Examples of phosphide in a Sentence
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The increase is attributed to higher demand for indium phosphide (InP) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrates.
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Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2025
One scenario is that volcanoes release chemical compounds called phosphides, which could react with sulfur dioxide in Venus’ atmosphere to form phosphine—a plausible explanation given that scientists have found evidence of active volcanism on our twin planet.
—Elise Cutts, WIRED, 7 Apr. 2024
One scenario is that volcanoes release chemical compounds called phosphides, which could react with sulfur dioxide in Venus’ atmosphere to form phosphine — a plausible explanation given that scientists have found evidence of active volcanism on our twin planet.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 19 Mar. 2024
The aluminum phosphide is alleged to have been activated by moisture to create the gas phosphine, which traveled to Fatiha’s apartment above.
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 19 Jan. 2024
Hoping to make a metallic glass, which is an alloy of atoms jumbled together without a discrete shape, researchers on Greer’s team placed bits of iron, nickel, and a phosphide compound in a copper dish housed inside a simple electric furnace.
—Andrew Zaleski, Popular Mechanics, 22 Aug. 2023
The Chalmers researchers use transistors made from indium phosphide (InP), a familiar material for LNAs, though gallium arsenide is more common commercially.
—IEEE Spectrum, 22 Jan. 2021
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Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2025
One scenario is that volcanoes release chemical compounds called phosphides, which could react with sulfur dioxide in Venus’ atmosphere to form phosphine—a plausible explanation given that scientists have found evidence of active volcanism on our twin planet.
—Elise Cutts, WIRED, 7 Apr. 2024
One scenario is that volcanoes release chemical compounds called phosphides, which could react with sulfur dioxide in Venus’ atmosphere to form phosphine — a plausible explanation given that scientists have found evidence of active volcanism on our twin planet.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 19 Mar. 2024
The aluminum phosphide is alleged to have been activated by moisture to create the gas phosphine, which traveled to Fatiha’s apartment above.
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 19 Jan. 2024
Hoping to make a metallic glass, which is an alloy of atoms jumbled together without a discrete shape, researchers on Greer’s team placed bits of iron, nickel, and a phosphide compound in a copper dish housed inside a simple electric furnace.
—Andrew Zaleski, Popular Mechanics, 22 Aug. 2023
The Chalmers researchers use transistors made from indium phosphide (InP), a familiar material for LNAs, though gallium arsenide is more common commercially.
—IEEE Spectrum, 22 Jan. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Phosphide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phosphide. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
phosphide
noun
phos·phide
-ˌfīd 
: a binary compound of phosphorus with a more electropositive element or group
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