any compound containing a chlorine atom
"Table salt is chemically known as sodium chloride, which is a common compound containing a chlorine atom."
any salt of hydrochloric acid (containing the chloride ion)
"Table salt is a common example of a chloride, as it consists entirely of sodium and chloride ions derived from hydrochloric acid."
any salt of hydrochloric acid, such as sodium chloride, or any binary compound of chlorine and another element or radical
"The laboratory results showed an elevated level of chloride in the patient's blood serum."
In plain English: Chloride is an ion made of chlorine that often bonds with other atoms to form common salts and minerals found everywhere around us.
"The doctor told me to increase my salt intake because I was low in chloride."
Usage: Chloride refers to the negatively charged ion derived from hydrogen chloride that bonds with metals like sodium in common table salt. Use this term specifically for compounds containing chlorine paired with a metal or positive group rather than when describing elemental chlorine gas itself.
The word chloride was created in 1812 by the British chemist Humphry Davy by combining "chlor-" with "-ide." It entered English to describe chemical compounds containing chlorine, following the naming pattern established for other elements of that time.