Sulfur
/ˈsʌlfər/noun
A chemical element that is a yellow, nonmetallic substance used in industry and found in volcanic and biological compounds.
Did you know?In medieval and early modern Europe, sulfur was one of the classic alchemical substances and was famously associated with brimstone, a word that later became a biblical symbol of infernal fire.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*swel-
“to burn, to glow”
Latin
Latin
sulfur
“sulfur, brimstone”
Old French
Old French
soufre
“sulfur, brimstone”
Middle English
English
sulfre
“sulfur, brimstone”
Modern English
English
sulfur
“the chemical element sulfur”
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