Brimstone
/ˈbrɪm.stoʊn/noun
A yellow, pungent chemical element, sulfur.
Did you know?In medieval and early modern English, brimstone was a common name for sulfur, and its hellish reputation came from biblical fire-and-brimstone imagery that made the word feel like a curse.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
brynstān
“sulfur; literally “burning stone””
Middle English
ME
brimston
“sulfur, especially in a fiery or biblical sense”
14th Century
English
brimstone
“sulfur, often associated with hellfire and divine punishment”
Modern English
English
brimstone
“a literary or archaic word for sulfur”