Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
zinc sulfide

zinc sulfide

5.8
A white or yellow mineral used in glow paint and optical parts
  • noun
  • /zɪŋk sʌlfaɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sulfuro de zinc
  • The glow of zinc sulfide crystals in the dark made the experiment visually stunning.

Examples

  • The artist used zinc sulfide in her paintings.

  • Natural zinc sulfide can be found in the mineral sphalerite.

  • Some luminous paints contain zinc sulfide to make them glow in the dark.

  • The screen glowed faintly due to the zinc sulfide coating applied to it.

  • Can you explain what zinc sulfide is?

  • The artist used zinc sulfide to create vibrant yellow hues in his paintings.

  • Researchers are studying the properties of zinc sulfide for its applications in optical materials.

Synonyms

sphalerite
vszinc sulfide
  • Specialized
9.9

A mineral that miners dig to get zinc

is the crystalline compound used for luminous pigments and optical materials
zinc blende
vszinc sulfide
  • Specialized
7.9

A mineral made mainly of zinc and sulfur that miners use to get zinc

is the same chemical compound used industrially for light and optics
blende
vszinc sulfide
  • Archaic
9.9

A dark mineral of zinc and sulfur used as the main source of zinc

is the pure crystalline material used in pigments and optical products
wurtzite
vszinc sulfide
  • Specialized
9.9

A brownish-black mineral made of zinc and sulfur that forms six-sided crystals and is mined for zinc

is the crystalline compound used as a luminous pigment and in optical devices

Surface Forms

zinc sulfide singular
zinc sulfides plural

Morphology

zinc + sulfide

The compound meaning is directly derivable from the constituents: 'zinc' (the metal) + 'sulfide' (a sulfur-containing anion/compound) yields a chemical compound of zinc and sulfur. This follows standard chemical naming patterns (metal + -ide) that are cross-linguistically regular, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Zinc sulfide is a simple chemical name that tells you what it is: zinc, a metal, plus sulfide, from 'sulfur', form the compound. It often appears as a yellow or white mineral used in glow-in-the-dark paint and in screens, so the name helps you remember it is the zinc-and-sulfur substance that makes things shine.