Plural of carbide; chemical compounds formed when carbon combines with metals or other elements, used in cutting tools, industrial equipment, and other applications.
From 'carbide' (carb- + -ide, a suffix for binary compounds). The term developed as industrial chemistry grew in the 19th century.
Tungsten carbide is one of the hardest substances known and is used in dental drills and cutting tools—it's literally how dentists and construction workers interact with materials harder than steel!
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