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sulfite

American  
[suhl-fahyt] / ˈsʌl faɪt /

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 Scientific  
/ sŭlfīt′ /
  1. A salt or ester of sulfurous acid, containing the group SO 3.


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of sulfite

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

To do so, it has compounds called sulfite oxidases that create sulfate from sulfite – the 20 milligrams in a glass of wine are unlikely to overwhelm your sulfite oxidases.

From Salon Dec. 16, 2024

Frozen shrimp may contain preservatives like sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium bisulfite, which people with sulfite or phosphate sensitivities may want to avoid.

From Seattle Times Jun. 2, 2024

The study provides opportunities to test the hypothesis of sulfite availability in the evolution of the first molecules of life experimentally, the authors point out.

From Science Daily Mar. 13, 2024

To make the humanmade version, the team first softened thin strips of oak by boiling them with lye and sodium sulfite.

From Science Magazine Feb. 15, 2023

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

From Creative Chemistry Descriptive of Recent Achievements in the Chemical Industries by Slosson, Edwin E.

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