sulphurate

A scientist sulphurates a sample in the laboratory.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To treat or combine with sulfur: "sulphurate" means to impregnate, treat, or cause to react with sulfur. This is a chemical or industrial process, often used for fumigation, bleaching, or preserving.

Usage Examples

• (To treat the barrels with sulfur for preservation.)
• (To fumigate grain with sulfur.)

Advanced Usage

• "sulphurate a compound": in chemistry, to add sulfur to a substance.

  • The laboratory technician will sulphurate the organic compound to study its properties. (To chemically combine sulfur with the compound.)

• "sulphurated" (past participle): having been treated or combined with sulfur.

  • The sulphurated wool had a distinct odor. (The wool had been treated with sulfur.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sulphur (n): a nonmetallic chemical element, often yellow, used in this process.
  • Sulphur is essential for manufacturing sulfuric acid. (The element sulfur.)
• Sulphuration (n): the process of treating with sulfur.
  • The sulphuration of rubber improves its durability. (The process of adding sulfur to rubber.)
• Sulphurous (adj): relating to or containing sulfur.
  • The sulphurous fumes irritated the workers. (Fumes containing sulfur.)

Synonyms

• Sulfurize: to treat or combine with sulfur; a less common variant.
• Fumigate: to treat with fumes, often including sulfur.
• Bleach: to whiten or sterilize, sometimes using sulfur dioxide.

Phrasal Verbs

• Sulphurate out: to remove impurities by treating with sulfur.
  • They sulphurated out the contaminants from the solution. (To purify by sulfur treatment.)

Related Idioms