Dimethylsulphoxide

/ˌdaɪˈmɛθəlˈsʌlfˌɑksaɪd/ noun

Definition

British English spelling variant of dimethylsulfoxide, a colorless liquid with remarkable solvent properties used in medicine, research, and tissue preservation.

Etymology

Identical to dimethylsulfoxide; the difference is simply the British spelling 'sulph-' versus American 'sulf-'. Both come from the element sulfur (British: sulphur).

Kelly Says

The spelling difference between sulfoxide/sulphoxide is a remnant of how American English dropped the 'ph' after WWII to simplify chemistry—yet sulphoxide persists in British labs and old medical literature.

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