To remove sulfur or sulfur compounds from a substance, typically done in refineries to make cleaner fuel and reduce air pollution.
American spelling formed from 'de-' (remove) plus 'sulfur' (the element) plus '-ize' (to cause or make). Developed as industrial chemistry advanced in the 20th century.
Modern coal power plants and oil refineries spend enormous amounts of money on desulfurization equipment because sulfur dioxide causes acid rain—making this one word represent a major environmental protection effort.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.