Also spelled sulphur

US /ˈsʊl.fə/ UK /ˈsʌl.fə/
noun adj verb Freq #17888

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    A bright yellow chemical element (symbol S) with a strong smell, used in matches, gunpowder, and many industrial products.

    The air near the volcano smelled strongly of sulfur.

  2. 2
    verb

    To treat something with sulfur, especially to preserve food or protect crops from pests.

    Farmers often sulfur the vines to keep insects away.

  3. 3
    adj

    Of a yellowish-green colour, like sulfur.

    The bird had bright sulfur feathers on its chest.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · a bright yellow chemical... brimstonesulphur
2 verb · to treat something with... sulphur
Word family
Forms sulfurssulphurs
Derived forms biosulfurcatenapolysulfurdesulfurdesulphurdisulfurdisulphurdisuprazolehydrodesulfurizationhydrohydrodesulphurisationhydrohydrodesulphurizationlow-sulfurlow-sulphur
Related forms desulfurizedesulphurisedesulphurizedisulfotonsolfatarasulfasulfanesulfatasesulfatesulfatedsulfidesulfite

Etymology

Etymology tree Latin sulpur Latin sulfur Latin sulphur Anglo-Norman sulfrebor. Middle English sulphur English sulfur From Middle English sulphur, borrowed from Anglo-Norman sulfre, from Latin sulfur, from sulpur itself of uncertain origin. Displaced Old English swefl and largely displaced brimstone.

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Topics

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