selenide

A chemist examines a sample of lead selenide under a bright lamp.

Definition

1. Noun (Chemistry):
   • A binary compound of selenium with a more electropositive element or group. Selenides are analogous to sulfides and tellurides, where selenium replaces sulfur or tellurium in the compound.

Usage Examples

• (A compound of lead and selenium found in nature.)
• (A gaseous compound of hydrogen and selenium.)

Advanced Usage

• "selenide ion": the Se²⁻ anion, which forms salts with metals.

  • The selenide ion is larger than the sulfide ion due to selenium's higher atomic number. (The negatively charged selenium atom is bigger than the sulfur counterpart.)

• "metal selenide": a specific type of selenide where selenium is bonded to a metal, often studied in semiconductor research.

  • Cadmium selenide is used in quantum dots for photovoltaic applications. (A compound of cadmium and selenium used in advanced solar cells.)

Variants and Related Words

• Selenide (n) is the base form; no common adjectival or verbal forms exist directly.
• Selenium (n): the nonmetallic element from which selenides are derived.
  • Selenium is essential in trace amounts for human health. (The element itself, not a compound.)

Synonyms

• Selenide has no direct synonyms in English; it is a specific chemical term. In context, it may be referred to as a "selenium compound" or "binary selenium compound."

Phrasal Verbs

• None applicable, as "selenide" is a noun with no verbal usage.

Related Idioms

• None applicable; "selenide" is a technical term without idiomatic expressions.