brimstone

American  

[brim-stohn] / ˈbrɪmˌstoʊn /

noun

1. sulfur.

2. a virago; shrew.

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brimstone British  

/ ˈbrɪmˌstəʊn /

noun

1. an obsolete name for sulphur

2. a common yellow butterfly, Gonepteryx rhamni , of N temperate regions of the Old World: family Pieridae

3. archaic a scolding nagging woman; virago

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Other Word Forms

• brimstony
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of brimstone

before 1150; Middle English brinston, etc., late Old English brynstān. See burn ¹, stone

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Explanation

Brimstone is an old-fashioned word for sulfur, a chemical that's used to make matches, among other things. Brimstone is derived from the Old English brynstan and a root meaning "to burn." These days, few people refer to the non-metallic chemical element sulfur this way, but are more likely to use the word in the Biblical phrase "fire and brimstone." The burning smell of a lightning strike — and the association of lightning with divine punishment — produced the connection between burning sulfur, or brimstone, and God's wrath.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

brimstone

In the halcyon days of the televangelists, when Jim Bakker stood shoulder to shoulder with fire and brimstone preachers such as Jerry Farwell, Pat Robertson and Jimmy Swaggart, the collection plate always seemed bottomless.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

Hell isn’t fire and brimstone after all; it’s wallpaper, beige carpet and drop ceilings.

From Salon ● May 30, 2026

Pete Hegseth has been talking like a Marvel villain lately, threatening fire and brimstone with LLM-tinged evocations of doom.

From Slate ● Mar. 6, 2026

Soon, Chuck’s preaching at Calvary Chapel is less fire and brimstone and more peace and love, with a rock band, Love Song, to boot.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 22, 2023

A wash of sudden heat assaulted them, heavy with the odors of ash, brimstone, and burnt meat.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

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