sulph-

American  

Chiefly British.

1. variant of sulf-.

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sulph- British  

combining form

1. containing sulphur

   sulphate

   sulphonic acid

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Usage

What does sulph- mean? The combining form sulph- is used like a prefix meaning “sulfur,” a nonmetallic element known for its distinctive odor. Sulf- is often used in scientific terms, especially in chemistry. The form sulph- comes from Latin sulfur, meaning both “sulfur” and “brimstone.”What are variants of sulph-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a consonant, sulph- becomes sulpho-, as in sulphocarbanilide. In American English, sulph- is spelled sulf- or sulfo-, as in sulfide. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles for these combining forms.