nitrile

American  

[nahy-tril, -treel, -trahyl] / ˈnaɪ trɪl, -tril, -traɪl /

noun

Chemistry.

1. any of a class of organic compounds with the general formula RC≡N.

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nitrile British  

/ ˈnaɪtrɪl, -traɪl /

noun

1. Also called (not in technical usage): cyanide.  any one of a class of organic compounds containing the monovalent group -CN

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nitrile Scientific  

/ nī′trəl /

1. An organic compound, such as acrylonitrile, containing the cyanide group CN. Nitriles are typically colorless solids or liquids and have a distinctive smell.

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Etymology

Origin of nitrile

1840–50; nitr- + -ile, perhaps variant of -yl

Example Sentences

To investigate further, the researchers tested seven different types of gloves, including nitrile, latex, and cleanroom varieties, along with commonly used methods for identifying microplastics.

From Science Daily • Mar. 29, 2026

Tight nitrile butadiene rubber supply as well as rising nitrile and natural rubber prices may weigh on sales volumes, but flexible production could allow a shift toward natural rubber gloves.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

A musician called Safana Bakleh gave her group of volunteers face masks and blue nitrile gloves along with instructions about photographing and collecting documents.

From BBC • Dec. 16, 2024

Each comes with nitrile gloves and polyethylene bags, the listing says, “for safe handling of these beautiful but dangerous books.”

From New York Times • Apr. 4, 2024

Synthesis and Degradation of Hexoses.—Monosaccharides of any desired number of carbon atoms can be produced from aldoses having one less carbon atoms, by way of the familiar "nitrile" reaction.

From The Chemistry of Plant Life by Thatcher, Roscoe Wilfred