sulfurous
sulfurous Lexical Profile
sulfurous Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Containing, derived from, or having the characteristics of sulfur, especially its yellow color or pungent, acrid odor.
"Thick, sulfurous fumes rose from the volcanic vents along the crater rim."
Relating to or denoting chemical compounds in which sulfur has a lower valence (specifically +4), as in sulfurous acid.
"When sulfur dioxide dissolves in water, it forms a weak sulfurous solution."
Suggestive of hellfire or the underworld; fiercely heated, vitriolic, or profane in language or temperament.
"The columnist launched a sulfurous tirade against the committee's corrupt practices."
Word Nuance & Usage
In formal chemical nomenclature, 'sulfurous' refers specifically to compounds where sulfur has a lower oxidation state (+4, as in sulfurous acid), whereas 'sulfuric' denotes a higher oxidation state (+6, as in sulfuric acid); in everyday descriptive usage, 'sulfurous' is the standard term for anything resembling or smelling of sulfur.
• Rhymes for sulfurous
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the 16th century from Latin 'sulfurosus' ('full of sulfur'), derived from 'sulfur' ('brimstone').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.