definitions

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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Nearby words

sulfuric acid, sulfuric anhydride, sulfuric ether, sulfurize, sulfurous, sulfurous acid, sulfuryl, sulfuryl chloride, sulfuryl group, sulindac, sulk

Origin of sulfurous acid

First recorded in 1780–90
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Science 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 Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.