sulphur

[ suhl-fer ]

/ ˈsʌl fər /

noun

Also sulfur. yellow with a greenish tinge; lemon color.

Nearby words

sulphone, sulphonic acid, sulphonium compound, sulphonmethane, sulphonyl, sulphur, sulphur butterfly, sulphur dioxide, sulphur springs, sulphur trioxide, sulphur tuft

Origin of sulphur

variant of sulfur

Definition for sulphur (2 of 2)

Sulphur

[ suhl-fer ]

/ ˈsʌl fər /

noun

a city in SW Louisiana.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for sulphur

That is, the sulphur always remains combined with four parts of oxygen.
The Automobile Storage Battery|O. A. Witte
They consisted of wooden splints coated with sulphur and tipped with antimony, chlorate of potash, and gum.
Great Inventions and Discoveries|Willis Duff Piercy
Dr. Pereira and others ascribe to Sulphur a resolvent and liquefacient action.
The Action of Medicines in the System|Frederick William Headland
Sulphur to purify the blood may be taken three times a week—a thimbleful in a glass of milk before breakfast.
Searchlights on Health: Light on Dark Corners|B.G. Jefferis

It should also be nearly free from sulphur, because of the great difficulty of removing this element in the puddling process.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 14, Slice 7|Various

British Dictionary definitions for sulphur

sulphur

US sulfur

/ (ˈsʌlfə) /

noun

an allotropic nonmetallic element, occurring free in volcanic regions and in combined state in gypsum, pyrite, and galena. The stable yellow rhombic form converts on heating to monoclinic needles. It is used in the production of sulphuric acid, in the vulcanization of rubber, and in fungicides. Symbol: S; atomic no: 16; atomic wt: 32.066; valency: 2, 4, or 6; relative density: 2.07 (rhombic), 1.957 (monoclinic); melting pt: 115.22°C (rhombic), 119.0°C (monoclinic); boiling pt: 444.674°CRelated adjective: thionic
(as modifier)sulphur springs

Derived Formssulphuric or US sulfuric (sʌlˈfjʊərɪk), adjective

Word Origin for sulphur

C14 soufre, from Old French, from Latin sulfur

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for sulphur

sulphur

see sulfur. The form prefered in Britain; the spelling's suggestion of a Greek origin is misleading.

Science definitions for sulphur

sulfur

S

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. See Periodic Table.