sulfide

noun

sul·​fide ˈsəl-ˌfīd How to pronounce sulfide (audio)
1
: any of various organic compounds characterized by a sulfur atom attached to two carbon atoms
2
: a binary compound (such as CuS) of sulfur usually with a more electropositive element or group : a salt of hydrogen sulfide

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Volcanoes and industrial emissions are the main natural sources of sulfur dioxide, one precursor of sulfates; carbonyl sulfide, a gas emitted by microbes in the oceans, is another. Bypaul Voosen, science.org, 14 Feb. 2023 Glass with the nickel sulfide imperfection will then expand and break — before it is installed in the building. San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2023 The researchers attribute the mercury pollution’s presence to the mineral cinnabar, or mercuric sulfide. Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2020 Hydrogen sulfide, methyl sulfides, and benzopyrrole volatiles are among the most common gases behind that odor. Sabrina Talbert, Women's Health, 31 Jan. 2023 Infrared excitation in the copper sulfide creates hot electrons and holes, which are injected into the cadmium sulfide and recombine to emit high-energy light in the visible region. IEEE Spectrum, 30 Dec. 2022 But Xin and colleagues say the ferric sulfide clusters allow a more capable form of navigation to take place. The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 30 June 2021 During a survey of the cloud, the international research team identified water ice, as well as frozen forms of ammonia, methanol, methane and carbonyl sulfide. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 23 Jan. 2023 Their nanocrystals are hexagonal, platelike crystals of copper sulfide, with a border of cadmium sulfide. IEEE Spectrum, 30 Dec. 2022 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sulfide was in 1836

Dictionary Entries Near sulfide

Cite this Entry

“Sulfide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sulfide. Accessed 20 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

sulfide

noun
sul·​fide ˈsəl-ˌfīd How to pronounce sulfide (audio)
: a compound of sulfur with one or more other elements : a salt of hydrogen sulfide

Medical Definition

sulfide

noun
sul·​fide
variants or chiefly British sulphide
1
: any of various organic compounds characterized by a sulfur atom attached to two carbon atoms
2
: a binary compound (as CuS) of sulfur usually with a more electropositive element or group : a salt of hydrogen sulfide

More from Merriam-Webster on sulfide

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