sulfurous acid
noun Chemistry.
a colorless liquid, H2SO3, having a suffocating odor, obtained by dissolving sulfur dioxide in water, known mainly by its salts, which are sulfites: used chiefly in organic synthesis and as a bleach.
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Origin of sulfurous acid
First recorded in 1780–90
Words nearby sulfurous acid
sulfuric acid, sulfuric anhydride, sulfuric ether, sulfurize, sulfurous, sulfurous acid, sulfur spring, sulfur trioxide, sulfuryl, sulfuryl chloride, sulfuryl group
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Scientific definitions for sulfurous acid
sulfurous acid
A colorless solution of sulfur dioxide in water, characterized by a suffocating sulfurous odor. It is used as a bleaching agent, preservative, and disinfectant. Chemical formula: H2SO3.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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