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

Melting icecaps flooded the oceans with warmer water that was rich in sulfur and low in oxygen, overwhelming species that had adapted to colder conditions.

From Science Daily

Cuba produces about 40,000 barrels a day of sulfur- and metals-laden heavy crude that feeds the country’s decrepit power plants.

From The Wall Street Journal

As you near the pools, you’ll pick up the scent of sulfur and notice the water turning a strange bluish hue.

From Los Angeles Times

Water in many homes is tinged a rusty orange from iron and manganese in the soil, or pipe corrosion, and smells sour from sulfur.

From The Wall Street Journal

The disease is caused by the loss of frataxin, a mitochondrial protein needed for the production of iron sulfur clusters, which help cells carry out essential energy-related tasks.

From Science Daily