Sulfurizing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The act of incorporating sulfur into materials to effect changes in their chemical composition
2. The technique of applying sulfur to substances to modify their inherent qualities
3. Introducing sulfur into a material to change its chemical properties and enhance performance

Etymology: Sulfurizing is a plain technical formation: the noun "sulfur" with the verb-forming suffix "-ize," which descends through Late Latin "-izare" from the Greek "-izein." That suffix turns a substance into a verb meaning to treat or combine it with that substance, so "sulfurize" means to treat something with sulfur, and the "-ing" ending adds the continuous action of doing so. The base word has a longer and more tangled history. English "sulfur" comes from Middle English "sulphur," which was borrowed from Anglo-Norman "sulfre," itself drawn from Latin "sulfur" (also spelled "sulphur"). The Latin form is thought to be of ancient origin, though its deepest roots are uncertain, and the spelling has swung between "ph" and "f" for centuries, which is why both versions remain in use today.