Sulfurises

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Treats a substance with sulfur or combines it with sulfur ; changes a material into a compound containing sulfide or sulfate
2. Mixes or processes something with sulfur as an ingredient ; transforms a material so that it becomes a sulfur-bearing compound
3. Adds sulfur to a material through chemical treatment ; converts an element or substance into a sulfide or sulfate form

Etymology: The word is a plain formation: the noun "sulfur" with the verbal suffix "-ise" added. That suffix traces back through Middle French "-iser" to Late Latin "-izare" and ultimately to Ancient Greek "-izein", a verb-forming ending that English has long used to turn nouns into verbs, as in "organise" or "criticise". The source records the same ending passing through Anglo-Norman and Middle English on its way into the language. Sulfur itself has a longer trail. It was borrowed from Latin "sulfur" (also spelled "sulpur" and "sulphur" in Latin and Anglo-Norman), and Middle English settled on "sulphur" before the modern spelling "sulfur" came into use. Because of this, the verb can be spelled either way, and the "ph" and "f" forms are both standard.

Synonyms: sulphurise, sulfurize, sulphurize