Phosphide

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A binary or ternary compound formed between phosphorus and a metal element, often exhibiting semiconductor properties
2. A chemical compound containing phosphorus in a more reduced oxidation state, typically showing varied reactivity with metals
3. A class of compounds characterized by the presence of phosphorus and another element, commonly used in electronics and materials science

Etymology: Phosphorus was named in the seventeenth century from Greek roots meaning "light-bearer": "phōs" (light) combined with "-phoros" (bearing), the same word that gave the morning star its name, "Phosphorus," as the bringer of dawn. The element glows faintly in the dark, which is why the name fits, and it was known as a light-producing substance long before chemists identified it as an element. "Phosphide" is a much plainer construction. It takes the "phospho-" combining form of phosphorus and adds the "-ide" suffix, which chemists use for binary compounds of an element with a more electronegative partner, here the phosphorus paired with a less electronegative element such as a metal. The suffix itself comes through Latin "-idus" and French "-ide," so the word is a modern chemical coinage built from older parts rather than an ancient term.