What does sulfurous mean?
Sulfurous is an adjective describing something that contains sulfur or has the characteristic properties of sulfur, particularly its sharp, unpleasant, rotten-egg odor. The word is often used in descriptions of volcanic gases, industrial fumes, minerals, and chemical compounds. In everyday language, sulfurous most strongly evokes an unpleasant smell, as in "sulfurous fumes" or a "sulfurous odor." It can also be used more technically to characterize a substance or reaction involving sulfur. Although sulfurous should not be confused with sulfuric, which refers specifically to sulfuric acid and its sulfate compounds, both words belong to the wider chemical vocabulary associated with sulfur. The term is useful because it links a physical sensory experience with a precise chemical description.
adjectiveContaining sulfur or having characteristics associated with sulfur, especially a pungent, unpleasant odor. It may also describe something that smells of sulfur or resembles sulfur in color or chemical behavior.
- Containing sulfur or sulfur compounds.
- Having a pungent, unpleasant odor associated with sulfur.
"The old mine was filled with sulfurous fumes that made the explorers cough and retreat."
"Sulfurous gases escaped from the volcanic vent."
"The scientist identified the substance by its sulfurous odor."
The word that evokes the sharp smell of rotten eggs also names the chemical world of sulfur, from volcanic gases to ancient minerals.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sulfurous come from?
The word comes through Latin from the Latin root sulphur, meaning sulfur or brimstone. The English adjective developed alongside related chemical terms such as sulfate, sulfide, and sulfuric, all of which reflect the same sulfur root. In traditional usage, the adjective also carries the long-established association of sulfur with a pungent odor and with brimstone, especially in religious and literary contexts.
Related word forms
How sulfurous is actually used
The adjective is commonly used for sulfur-containing materials and, especially, for smells or fumes associated with sulfur. The spelling "sulphurous" is also standard in British English.
Easily confused with sulfurous
Sulfurous describes sulfur-containing substances or their characteristic odor, while sulfuric specifically denotes the strong acid commonly known as sulfuric acid.