sulfuric acid

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a clear, colorless to brownish, dense, oily, corrosive, water-miscible liquid, H 2 SO 4 , usually produced from sulfur dioxide: used chiefly in the manufacture of fertilizers, chemicals, explosives, and dyestuffs and in petroleum refining.

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sulfuric acid Scientific  

1. A strong corrosive acid. It combines very easily with water, making it a good drying agent. Sulfuric acid is the most widely used acid in industry. It is used to make detergents, dyes, drugs, explosives, pigments, fertilizers, and many other products. It is also the acid in lead-acid electric batteries. Chemical formula: H ₂ SO ₄ .

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Etymology

Origin of sulfuric acid

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

Rio Tinto’s Nuton venture is using sulfuric acid and bacteria to remove copper from ores that are otherwise uneconomical to mine, which could boost domestic production.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

It is not cozy like our planet though, since it is mainly made of carbon dioxide and thick clouds of sulfuric acid - more like hot and burning!

From Space Scoop • Jul. 8, 2025

"There is no other vegetable with a defense mechanism that if you attack it, it will spit sulfuric acid in your eyes."

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2024

Scientists know it's mainly made of sulfuric acid droplets, with some water, chlorine, and iron.

From Science Daily • Jan. 5, 2024

However, the surface of the planet is a scorching 467 degrees Celsius, the ground is barren and rocky, and clouds of sulfuric acid roam the atmosphere.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson