sulfuric acid
noun Chemistry.
a clear, colorless to brownish, dense, oily, corrosive, water-miscible liquid, H2SO4, usually produced from sulfur dioxide: used chiefly in the manufacture of fertilizers, chemicals, explosives, and dyestuffs and in petroleum refining.
Also called
oil of vitriol.
Origin of sulfuric acid
First recorded in 1780–90
Words nearby sulfuric acid
sulfurated potash,
sulfureous,
sulfuret,
sulfureted hydrogen,
sulfuric,
sulfuric acid,
sulfuric anhydride,
sulfuric ether,
sulfurize,
sulfurous,
sulfurous acid
Medical definitions for sulfuric acid
sulfuric acid
[ sŭl-fyur′ĭk ]
n.
A colorless, nearly odorless, corrosive liquid that is used occasionally as a caustic.
vitriol
Scientific definitions for sulfuric acid
sulfuric acid
A strong corrosive acid. It combines very easily with water, making it a good drying agent. Sulfuric acid is the most widely used acid in industry. It is used to make detergents, dyes, drugs, explosives, pigments, fertilizers, and many other products. It is also the acid in lead-acid electric batteries. Chemical formula: H2SO4.