# oil of vitriol

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. Sulfuric acid.

## Etymology
So called from its oily consistency and from its forming the "vitriols" or sulfates. This term was coined by the 8th-century alchemist Jabir ibn Hayyan, the chemical's probable discoverer.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/oil-of-vitriol