dicyandiamide

[ dahy-sahy-uhn-dahy-am-ahyd ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a white, crystalline, rather sparingly water-soluble solid, C 2 H 4 N 4 , produced from cyanamide by polymerization: used in the manufacture of plastics and pharmaceuticals.

Word History and Origins

Origin of dicyandiamide¹

di- ¹ + cyan(o)- ² + di- ¹ + amide