Etymology Explorer › Latin

Where does “sulphur” come from?

sulphur (Latin) comes from Latin sulpur, from Proto-Indo-European swelplos, from Proto-Indo-European swel- — to smolder; burn; scorch; beam, board, frame,...

sulphur (Latin): sulfur, brimstone; lightning

Definitions

  1. sulfur, brimstone; lightning

Ancestry of “sulphur”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1LatinsulpurArchaic form of sulphur
2Proto-Indo-Europeanswelplos—
3Proto-Indo-Europeanswel-to smolder; burn; scorch; beam, board, frame,...

Words derived from “sulphur”

  • sulfur
  • sulfurous
  • desulfurization
  • sulfotransferase
  • nonsulfur
  • sulphury
  • desulphurization
  • sulphuryl
  • sulfosuccinate
  • Soufrière
  • sulfurylase
  • sulfolipid
  • organosulfur
  • sulfinic
  • hydrodesulfurization
  • sulfonium
  • sulfuryl
  • sulfosalicylic
  • desulfuration
  • unsulfured
  • desulfurase
  • sulfinate
  • sulfotyrosine
  • sulforhodamine
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swel- →