Nitrile

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Nitrile \Ni"trile\ (? or ?), n. [See {Nitro-}.] (Chem.)
     Any one of a series of compounds bearing the cyanide radical
     ({-CN}); particularly, one of those cyanides of alcohol
     radicals which, by boiling with acids or alkalies, produce a
     carboxyl acid, with the elimination of the nitrogen as
     ammonia.


     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The nitriles are named with reference to the acids
           produced by their decomposition, thus, hydrocyanic acid
           is {formic nitrile}, methyl cyanide is {acetonitrile}
           (also {acetic nitrile}), and ethyl cyanide is
           {propionitrile} (from propionic acid).
           [1913 Webster +PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  nitrile
       n : any of a class of organic compounds containing the cyano
           radical -CN [syn: {nitril}, {cyanide}]