sulfur

Where does the word "sulfur" come from? It comes from Latin sulpur, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Sulfur’s story begins in Latin: sulpur meant “the pale yellow mineral.” The pale yellow mineral, burned since antiquity. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as sulfre. Carried into French for the same mineral. It reached English by 1300s as sulfur. Settled as the English word for the element. Today, sulfur means a pale yellow nonmetallic chemical element.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient sulpur "the pale yellow mineral", the pale yellow mineral, burned since antiquity.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval sulfre "the pale yellow mineral", carried into French for the same mineral.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s sulfur "a pale yellow nonmetallic element", settled as the English word for the element.