Standard Lemma guide

cyanogen

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /saɪˈæn.ə.d͡ʒɪn/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The pseudohalogen (CN)2; a colorless, poisonous gas used as a rocket propellant, an insecticide and in chemical warfare.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, organic-chemistry, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ethanedinitrile, oxalonitrile, dicyanogen, nitriloacetonitrile

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The radical -CN.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: chemistry, inorganic-chemistry, natural-sciences, organic-chemistry, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a colorless toxic gas with a pungent almond odor; has been used in chemical warfare

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: gas

History

Etymology

From cyano- + -gen; compare French cyanogène. So called because it produced blue dyes.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: cianogen — organic compound
  • Chinese Mandarin: 氰 (qíng) — organic compound
  • Chinese Mandarin: 氰气 (qíngqì) — organic compound
  • Dutch: cyanogeen — organic compound
  • Dutch: cyaan — organic compound
  • Esperanto: ciano — organic compound
  • Finnish: disyaani — organic compound
  • Finnish: syaani — organic compound
  • French: cyane — organic compound
  • German: Cyan — organic compound
  • German: Zyan — organic compound
  • German: Cyanogen — organic compound
  • German: Dicyan — organic compound
  • Dutch: cyaan — radical
  • Finnish: syaani — radical
  • German: Cyan — radical
  • German: Zyan — radical