What does sulphide mean?
A sulphide is a compound or ion formed by combining sulfur with another element, especially a metal. In inorganic chemistry, the term commonly covers metallic sulphides and the sulphide ion, S²⁻, in which sulfur has an oxidation state of −2. Familiar examples include iron pyrite, galena and hydrogen sulphide. In organic chemistry, a sulphide is a compound in which sulfur joins two carbon groups, a structural category also described by the term “thioether.” The word is especially associated with British spelling, while American usage normally spells it “sulfide.” Sulphides have considerable practical importance: many metallic sulphides are ores from which valuable metals can be extracted, and hydrogen sulphide is a toxic, foul-smelling gas. The term belongs primarily to formal chemistry but also occurs in mining, environmental science and industrial safety.
nounA chemical compound or ion containing sulfur combined with another element, especially a metal. In organic chemistry, the term may also refer to a compound in which a sulfur atom links two carbon groups.
- A chemical compound or ion formed when sulfur is combined with another element, usually a metal; the term also denotes the sulfur ion S²⁻.
- An organic compound in which a sulfur atom is bonded to two carbon groups, as in a thioether.
"The mine contains several economically valuable metal sulphides."
"Hydrogen sulphide can accumulate in poorly ventilated industrial buildings."
"The organic sulphides in the sample were separated by chromatography."
The plural is used for individual chemical compounds, classes of compounds or sulphide minerals.
"Several sulphides in the ore were identified by laboratory analysis."
Hydrogen sulphide gives rotten eggs their unmistakable smell, but only a small proportion of the gas responsible is actually sulphur compounds.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sulphide come from?
The word is formed from “sulphur” and the chemical suffix “-ide,” a term used for anions and binary compounds involving a more electropositive element. Its development belongs to the expansion of systematic chemical nomenclature during the nineteenth century. Related chemical names, including “sulphate,” “sulphuric” and “sulphurous,” reflect the same sulfur root in British spelling.
Related word forms
How sulphide is actually used
The spelling “sulphide” is standard in British English and is also encountered in international scientific writing. American English normally uses “sulfide.” In general chemical usage, the term most often refers to compounds of sulfur with metals, although it can also denote the S²⁻ ion; in organic chemistry, it describes sulfur linking two carbon groups.
Easily confused with sulphide
A sulphide contains sulfur in the −2 oxidation state, whereas a sulphate is a salt or compound derived from sulphuric acid and contains the sulphate ion, SO₄²⁻.