sulfur dioxide

American

noun

Chemistry.

a colorless, nonflammable, water-soluble, suffocating gas, SO 2 , formed when sulfur burns: used chiefly in the manufacture of chemicals such as sulfuric acid, in preserving fruits and vegetables, and in bleaching, disinfecting, and fumigating.

sulfur dioxide Scientific

A colorless, poisonous gas or liquid with a strong odor. It is formed naturally by volcanic activity, and is a waste gas produced by burning coal and oil and by many industrial processes, such as smelting. It is also a hazardous air pollutant and a major contributor to acid rain. Chemical formula: SO ₂ .

Etymology

Origin of sulfur dioxide

First recorded in 1865–70

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.

Power plant stacks emitted more sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide last year, according to an analysis of government data.

From The Wall Street Journal

The biggest power plant in Texas, WA Parish near Thompsons, Texas, emitted 49% more sulfur dioxide last year, or 36,000 tons—more than all but six states that year, according to NRDC’s analysis.

From The Wall Street Journal

Coal is relatively inexpensive to produce but is the dirtiest fossil fuel, releasing considerable particulate air pollution, sulfur dioxide and mercury, and nearly twice the planet-warming carbon dioxide as natural gas.

From Los Angeles Times

Even worse, burning coal produces air pollutants, including sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, that are real threats to human health.

From Literature

They're worried about PFAs plumes in their ground, poisoning their water, or whether or not their air is poisoned by sulfur dioxide from a smokestack next to them.

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023