noun
- a compound of carbon with a more electropositive element or group.
- calcium carbide.
- a very hard mixture of sintered carbides of various heavy metals, especially tungsten carbide, used for cutting edges and dies.
noun
- a binary compound of carbon with a more electropositive elementSee also acetylide
- See calcium carbide
compound formed by combination of carbon and another element, 1848, from carb-, comb. form of carbon + chemical suffix -ide. The earlier word was carburet.
- A chemical compound consisting of carbon and a more electropositive element, such as calcium or tungsten. Many carbides, especially those made of carbon and a metal, are very hard and are used to make cutting tools and abrasives.