hydrogen sulfide

noun

: a flammable poisonous gas H2S that has an odor suggestive of rotten eggs and is found especially in many mineral waters and in putrefying matter

Examples of hydrogen sulfide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The state legislation specified that Suncor needed to monitor the air for hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen cyanide and benzene. Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2024 In the last year, the landfill’s air monitoring stations have reported thousands of hourly readings of smelly hydrogen sulfide in excess of the state’s short-term exposure limit, including several that were more than 10 times above that threshold. Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2024 While waiting for agreements to get penned, the district is paying close attention to the recorded levels of hydrogen sulfide. Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2024 In 2014, the European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft discovered that the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko — which is too far to actually travel to — had molecules rich in hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, which smell like rotten eggs and urine, respectively, per Space.com. Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 11 Jan. 2024 Those light-requiring sulfur bacteria clearly indicate that the oceans were starved of oxygen and laced with poisonous hydrogen sulfide in the sunlit zone where most marine diversity normally thrives. Howard Lee, Ars Technica, 8 Feb. 2023 The air-quality monitors are measuring, on an hourly basis, the quantities of the potentially toxic gas hydrogen sulfide, which has a characteristic rotten-egg odor. Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2024 Officials say this precipitation filtered into the landfill, drenched decomposing garbage and created an ideal environment for the breeding of bacteria that release methane and smelly hydrogen sulfide. Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2023 And signs next to open pools of wastewater warn about toxic emissions of hydrogen sulfide. Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hydrogen sulfide.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hydrogen sulfide was in 1869

Dictionary Entries Near hydrogen sulfide

Cite this Entry

“Hydrogen sulfide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hydrogen%20sulfide. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hydrogen sulfide

noun
: a flammable poisonous gas with a disagreeable odor suggestive of rotten eggs

Medical Definition

hydrogen sulfide

noun
: a flammable poisonous gas H2S that has an odor suggestive of rotten eggs and is found especially in many mineral waters and in putrefying matter
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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