sulfur

American  

[suhl-fer] / ˈsʌl fər /

noun

1. Chemistry. Also a nonmetallic element that exists in several forms, the ordinary one being a yellow rhombic crystalline solid, and that burns with a blue flame and a suffocating odor: used especially in making gunpowder and matches, in medicine, in vulcanizing rubber, etc. S; 32.064; 16; 2.07 at 20° C.

2. sulphur.

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sulfur British  

/ ˈsʌlfə /

noun

1. the US preferred spelling of sulphur

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sulfur Scientific  

/ sŭl′fər /

1. A pale-yellow, brittle nonmetallic element that occurs widely in nature, especially in volcanic deposits, minerals, natural gas, and petroleum. It is used to make gunpowder and fertilizer, to vulcanize rubber, and to produce sulfuric acid. Atomic number 16; atomic weight 32.066; melting point (rhombic) 112.8°C; (monoclinic) 119.0°C; boiling point 444.6°C; specific gravity (rhombic) 2.07; (monoclinic) 1.957; valence 2, 4, 6.

2. See Periodic Table

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Etymology

Origin of sulfur

1300–50; Middle English sulphur < Latin sulpur, sulphur, sulfur brimstone, sulfur

Example Sentences

Still, Parish and a handful of other plants remain top producers of sulfur dioxide, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of years of EPA data.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

Oil-rich countries such as Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. produced almost a quarter of the world’s supply of sulfur last year, according to a report from the Congressional Research Service, the U.S.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

Net sales reach $3 billion, exceeding estimates, but volatile conditions and record sulfur prices impacted input costs.

From Barron's • May 11, 2026

Freeport spent $250 million on improvements completed in 2017 to better control sulfur dioxide emissions.

From Salon • May 10, 2026

I lit the match and it sizzled to life, the burnt sulfur smell singeing my nostrils.

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon