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Glite Dictionary
prussic acid

prussic acid

9.9
A very poisonous liquid made from hydrogen cyanide and water used to kill pests
  • noun
  • /ˈprʌsɪk ˈæsɪd/
  • Archaic
translation icon : ácido prúsico

Examples

  • Before downing the deadly draught of prussic acid, he had written out

    Fiction book (1995)

  • This prussic acid solution is highly effective for fumigation due to its potent toxicity.

  • Chemists use prussic acid in organic synthesis, but it is crucial to handle it with care because of its deadly properties.

  • Farmers must be aware that certain plants can yield prussic acid, which can be dangerous to livestock.

Synonyms

prussic
vsprussic acid
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A very poisonous gas called hydrogen cyanide

is the dissolved form in water used for fumigation and synthesis
hydrocyanic acid
vsprussic acid
  • Specialized
9.9

A very poisonous liquid used to kill pests and make other chemicals

is the same solution but noted for organic synthesis use

Surface Forms

prussic acid singular
prussic acids plural

Morphology

prussic + acid

The element 'prussic' is a specialized, historically derived chemical name with no clear meaning for an average B1 learner, while 'acid' is a general noun; together they form a fixed chemical name (hydrocyanic/prussic acid) whose specific identity and high toxicity are not predictable from the parts. Because the compound is a conventional technical term rather than a transparent composition, learners who only know the constituents would not reliably infer its meaning.

Etymology

Prussic acid was named after 'Prussian blue', a deep blue dye first made in old Prussia. Chemists found a chemical from that blue and later used the name prussic acid for 'hydrogen cyanide', so the name now means 'a very poisonous acid'.