Definition of "phosphide" [phos•phide]

• A compound of phosphorus and a more electropositive element or radical. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Local golf courses are using rodent oat bait containing zinc phosphide, which is toxic and poisonous to humans and animals."
• "Using concentrated sunlight focused onto a small 5 mm² multi-junction solar cell made out of GaInP/GaInAs/Ge (gallium indium phosphide, gallium indium arsenide on a germanium substrate (whew!))."
• "Poisons like Compound 1080 and zinc phosphide can take hours or even days to take effect -- a prolonged, agonizing death."