Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
boride

boride

9.1
A hard substance made from boron and a metal used to make tools last longer
  • noun
  • /ˈbɔːraɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : boruro
  • Magnesium boride is frequently used in industrial applications due to its chemical resistance.

Examples

  • The research focused on synthesizing a new boride that could improve materials used in electronics.

  • A variety of oxides, borides

    Academic text (1997)

  • The most refractory materials known, carbides like tantalum carbide, borides and sulfides, and a few elements like hafnium, have melting points approaching 4000 Fahrenheit.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • Scientists often study borides for their exceptional hardness and thermal stability.

How Hard

diamond
489 1.4
boride
  • Specialized
9.1
carbide
  • Specialized
8 7.5
alloy
  • Specialized
51 4.8

Surface Forms

boride singular
borides plural

Morphology

boride = boron (semi-transparent) = bor + ide

Formed from the element name 'boron' plus the chemical suffix '-ide' indicating a binary compound; understanding the meaning requires some knowledge of chemical naming.

Etymology

The word boride comes from the element boron and the chemical ending -ide, where -ide means 'combined with'. So a boride is a chemical compound where boron is joined to another element, often making a very hard material that resists wear.