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sulfate

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Etymology and origin of the French word sulfate

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1787 Guyton de Morveau More words from the 18th century
Ultimate origin
Latin sulfur
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French sulfate
English sulfate

Pronunciation

Forms

sulfate m (plural sulfates)[2][1]

Etymology

It is formed from French sulfo- + -ate, in Guyton de Morveau's chemical nomenclature of 1787.[2][3][1] Bloch–Wartburg and the GLLF call it a learned derivative of Latin sulfur (“sulphur”), like sulfite and sulfure, coined the same year.[4][5] The Latin word, which Picoche calls of Mediterranean origin, also gave the inherited soufre.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Guyton de Morveau used it in 1787 for a salt of sulphuric acid.[2][5]

Semantic evolution

Sulphates had older names: the Petit Robert gives couperose and vitriol as obsolete equivalents.[3] The noun gave the adjective sulfaté (1802) and the verb sulfater (1871), used for treating vines with copper sulphate;[4][3] sulfatage followed in the 19th century and sulfateuse in the 20th.[6]

Timeline

  • 1787 – Guyton de Morveau coins sulfate with sulfite and sulfure.[2][4]
  • 1802 – First record of sulfaté.[4]
  • 1871 – The verb sulfater appears.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (chemistry) A salt or ester of sulphuric acid.[2][3][5][7]
  2. Sulfate de cuivre: copper sulphate, sprayed on vines against mildiou.[3][5]

Word family

  • sulfater
  • sulfatage
  • sulfateuse
  • bisulfate
  • soufre
  • sulfite
  • sulfure
  • sulfurique
  • Latin sulfur

References

  1. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  2. ^ a b c d e Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ a b Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
  7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
Cite this entry

“Sulfate.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/sulfate. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·