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.

Origin of sulfurous acid

First recorded in 1780–90

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.