sulfite

[ suhl-fahyt ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a salt or ester of sulfurous acid.
2. any sulfite-containing compound, especially one that is used in foods or drug products as a preservative and that can cause severe allergic reactions in susceptible individuals: use in fresh fruits and vegetables banned by the FDA in 1986.

sulfite

/ sŭl′fīt′ /

1. A salt or ester of sulfurous acid, containing the group SO 3 .

Other Words From

• sul·fit·ic [suhl-, fit, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sulfite¹

First recorded in 1780–90; sulf(ur) + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

It’s surprising that no one showed sulfite and iodide could team up to degrade PFAS before, McKay says.

From Science News For Students

Achieving higher levels of degradation required more time and additional sulfite to be poured in at spaced intervals.

From Science News

That means no filtering and minimal additional sugar or sulfites.

From Outside Online

Confusion persists over definitions, especially in the United States, where the government defines an organic wine as one without added sulfites.

From Washington Post

When I first fell in love with the grape back in the 1980s, organic wines were few and far between and considered inherently faulty because of the lack of sulfites, a commonly used natural preservative that keeps wine from spoiling in bottle.

From Washington Post

More than a mere trace of the precipitate proves that some sulfite was used to preserve the meat.

From Project Gutenberg

In the most common process the reagent is calcium sulfite, made by passing sulfur fumes (SO2) into lime water.

From Project Gutenberg

But the sulfite liquors of the paper mills are being worked up successfully into industrial alcohol.

From Project Gutenberg

A combination of ground and sulfite wood makes the paper now used for news-print.

From Project Gutenberg