# brimstone

/ˈbɹɪmstoʊn/ (US) · /bɹˈɪmstəʊn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/brimstone
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. hell and punishment

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

the fire and bad smells of hell, often mentioned in religious warnings.

For teachers: the sulfurous fire of hell, typically used in the phrase 'fire and brimstone' to describe passionate religious preaching about damnation.

- The preacher spoke about fire and brimstone to frighten the people into being good.
- The evangelist was famous for his fire and brimstone sermons, which vividly depicted the eternal torments awaiting unrepentant sinners.

Usage: Commonly occurs in the fixed binomial 'fire and brimstone'.

### 2. sulfur

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Technical

an old name for the chemical element sulfur.

For teachers: the chemical element sulfur in its solid, yellow form.

- The old book described how to mix charcoal with brimstone to make powder.
- Early alchemical texts frequently refer to brimstone as one of the primary substances required for the transmutation of base metals.

Usage: Uncountable when referring to the substance; countable uses are rare and restricted to historical texts.

### 3. a type of butterfly

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a bright yellow butterfly found in Europe, Asia, and North Africa.

For teachers: a pierid butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni) characterized by its distinctive pale yellow or greenish-yellow wings.

- We saw a bright yellow brimstone flying over the flowers in the garden.
- The common brimstone is often one of the first butterflies to emerge from hibernation in early spring.

## Examples

- The old factory used brimstone to make fireworks.
- In the old alchemy texts, brimstone was believed to be the key to turning lead into gold.
- The air was thick with the acrid scent of brimstone, a remnant of the industrial era when the valley was home to numerous chemical plants.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.