sulfurous

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adjective sul·fu·rous \ˈsəl-fə-rəs, -fyə- also (especially for sense 1a) ˌsəl-ˈfyu̇r-əs\

variants: or chiefly British

sulphurous

Definition of sulfurous

1a : of, relating to, or containing sulfur especially with a lower valence than sulfuric compounds sulfurous estersb : resembling or emanating from sulfur and especially burning sulfur
2a : of, relating to, or dealing with the fire of hell : infernalb : scathing, virulent sulfurous denunciationsc : profane, blasphemous sulfurous language

sulfurously

adverb

sulfurousness

noun

See sulfurous defined for English-language learners

See sulfurous defined for kids

Is it sulfur or sulphur?

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.

Recent Examples of sulfurous from the Web

And the president’s approval of a $1.4 billion weapons sale to Taiwan provoked a sulfurous reaction from the Chinese government.

— mark landler, New York Times, "Trump Takes More Aggressive Stance With U.S. Friends and Foes in Asia", 30 June 2017
The compact spa (a sulfurous and geothermally heated hot tub, steam room and sauna) and gym cost 15 euros (about $17) a person for the entire stay.

— kathryn o’shea-evans, New York Times, "An Art Deco Grande Dame in Iceland Takes a Star Turn — Again", 16 June 2017
A documentary tipped off an international team to the location of several giant shipworms in a dank, sulfurous lagoon off the Philippines.

— carrie arnold, National Geographic, "Watch: Bizarre Deep-Sea 'Worm' As Long As an Arm Revealed", 17 Apr. 2017
While its older campus at 1 Hacker Way (seriously) resembles Disneyland’s Main Street U.S.A., the new building is more subdued, to the extent that a 430,000-square-foot office beside a wasteland of sulfurous former salt ponds can be.

— joe veix, Newsweek, "Dispatches From Facebook's Full Circle Cafe, Where the Food Is Free and the Grease Is Plenty", 1 Mar. 2017
Night after night, starting at 4:48 P.M. and repeating hourly, the Chief delivered his sulfurous on-air denunciations.

— marc wortman, Smithsonian, "The Fake British Radio Show That Helped Defeat the Nazis", 28 Feb. 2017
In Janáček’s sulfurous song cycle, a Gypsy girl beguiles an impressionable village boy—a setup that is irresistible to directors who like to stage its twenty-two sections as a mini-drama.

— The New Yorker, "Cantata Profana: “The Diary of One Who Disappeared”", 24 Feb. 2017
In public supplies, the EPA recommends keeping it to 250 parts per million to minimize the sulfurous smell and taste.

— patrick di justo, WIRED, "What’s Inside: Tap Water", 28 Feb. 2012

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sulfurous'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of sulfurous

15th century

SULFUROUS Defined for English Language Learners

sulfurous

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adjective

Definition of sulfurous for English Language Learners

chemistry : of, relating to, or containing sulfur

SULFUROUS Defined for Kids

sulfurous

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adjective sul·fu·rous \ˈsəl-fə-rəs\

variants: also

sulphurous

\ˈsəl-fə-rəs\

Definition of sulfurous for Students

: containing or suggesting sulfur a sulfurous odor

Medical Dictionary

sulfurous

adjective sul·fu·rous

variants: or chiefly British

sulphurous

\ˈsəl-f(y)ə-rəs, also especially for 1 ˌsəl-ˈfyu̇r-əs\play play

Medical Definition of sulfurous

1: of, relating to, or containing sulfur especially with a lower valence than sulfuric compounds sulfurous esters
2: resembling or emanating from sulfur and especially burning sulfur