sulfur
Americannoun
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sulfurs
plural
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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.
noun
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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.
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See Periodic Table
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of sulfur
1300–50; Middle English sulphur < Latin sulpur, sulphur, sulfur brimstone, sulfur
Vocabulary lists containing sulfur
Rocks and Minerals - Middle School and High School
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Common Chemical Elements
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ammonia prices have been brought down by alternative supplies, but sulfur remains bottlenecked, with the price up around 70% in September from January.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
It’s the difference between the prices of soybean oil and ultra-low sulfur diesel, also known as heating oil.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
One was sulfur, which is highly concentrated in matrix.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026
Most volcanic ash has fallen out, but sulfur dioxide injected into the stratosphere produces sulfate aerosols which reflect a significant proportion of the Sun’s energy.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
“It’s made up of this many carbon molecules, hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen.”
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
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