sulfur

noun

sul·​fur ˈsəl-fər How to pronounce sulfur (audio)
variants or chiefly British sulphur
: a nonmetallic chemical element that is an essential element for all life, resembles oxygen in chemical properties, and is used especially in the form of sulfuric acid to extract phosphates from ores see Chemical Elements Table
sulfury adjective
or chiefly British sulphury
Is it sulfur or sulphur?: Usage Guide

The spelling sulfur predominates in U.S. technical usage, while both sulfur and sulphur are common in general usage. British usage tends to favor sulphur for all applications. The same pattern is seen in most of the words derived from sulfur.

Examples of sulfur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The gel uses sulfur and resorcinol monoacetate instead of common prescription clindamycin/benzoyl peroxide blends. Chaunie Brusie, Rn, Parents, 26 Feb. 2024 In many ways, Sulphur Bank Mine, named for the bubbling pools of sulfur that existed there when Abraham Lincoln was president, is a large, and costly tip of a very big problem in California and the American West. Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024 When Phaethon 3200 passes close to the sun, its surface temperature rises to about 800°C, about the same temperature that CY carbonaceous chondrite meteorites produce carbon dioxide, water vapor and sulfide sulfur gas. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023 The Heart Nebula's shape is driven by supermassive stars in its core, with the blue colors produced by ionized oxygen and sulfur. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 7 Dec. 2023 Peering into the heart of the debris left behind by the star’s demise, astronomers led by Claes Fransson of Stockholm University in Sweden spied hints of ionized argon and sulfur—that is, evidence of elements that were so shocked by some external force that their electrons had been stripped away. Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 23 Feb. 2024 India mainly exports aluminum, organic chemicals, and iron and steel to Greece, whose exports to India include minerals, mineral oils, sulfur, aluminum foil, electrical machinery and equipment and building stones. Ashok Sharma, Quartz, 21 Feb. 2024 The slump wall is moated in a fast current with dangerous eddies that can suck down the side of a boat, there’s a gargantuan amount of mass to be surveyed, and where the hell is the sulfur smell coming from? Cassidy Randall, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2024 One detail that may arrive sometime later this decade or early next is the lithium sulfur battery. Sam Abuelsamid, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sulfur.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sulphur brimstone, from Latin sulpur, sulphur, sulfur

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sulfur was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near sulfur

Cite this Entry

“Sulfur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sulfur. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sulfur

noun
sul·​fur
variants also sulphur
: a nonmetallic element that occurs either free or combined especially in sulfides and sulfates, is found in proteins, exists in several forms including yellow crystals, and is used especially in the chemical and paper industries, in strengthening rubber, and in medicine for treating skin diseases see element

Medical Definition

sulfur

1 of 2 noun
sul·​fur
variants or chiefly British sulphur
: a nonmetallic element that occurs either free or combined especially in sulfides and sulfates, is a constituent of proteins, exists in several allotropic forms including yellow orthorhombic crystals, resembles oxygen chemically but is less active and more acidic, and is used especially in the chemical and paper industries, in rubber vulcanization, and in medicine for treating skin diseases
symbol S
see Chemical Elements Table

sulfur

2 of 2 adjective
variants or chiefly British sulphur
: of, relating to, or resembling sulfur : containing or impregnated with sulfur

More from Merriam-Webster on sulfur

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