Sulfonic
/sʌlˈfɒnɪk/noun
Relating to a sulfonic acid or the sulfonyl functional group.
Did you know?The term is part of the modern chemical naming system built from Latinized scientific roots, not an old everyday word—its power comes from how chemistry turns elements into language.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Gk
θεῖον (theion)
“sulfur; brimstone”
Latin
Lat
sulfur / sulphur
“sulfur, brimstone”
18th–19th Century
French/English
sulfon-
“modern chemical stem referring to sulfur-containing compounds”
19th Century
English
sulfonic
“pertaining to sulfonic acids”