sulfur dioxide

noun

: a heavy pungent toxic gas SO₂ that is easily condensed to a colorless liquid, is used especially in making sulfuric acid, in bleaching, as a preservative, and as a refrigerant, and is a major air pollutant especially in industrial areas

Examples of sulfur dioxide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The molten sulfur burned for 24 hours, covering the nearby town of Livingston, population 200, with toxic levels of sulfur dioxide, NBC News later reported. —Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 26 Sep. 2024

Research shows that the huge 1991 Mount Pinatubo volcanic eruption in the Philippines, which lofted about 20 million metric tons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, ended up exacerbating drought in parts of the world as well as reducing ozone levels by a small percentage. —Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 24 Sep. 2024

As damage to forests and lakes worsened across Europe, countries signed international agreements starting in the 1980s to cut their sulfur dioxide emissions. —Alexander E. Gates, The Conversation, 23 Sep. 2024

Injecting particles in the atmosphere attempts to recreate the way erupting volcanoes can temporarily cool the planet by releasing sulfur dioxide. —Justine Calma, The Verge, 12 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

sulfur dioxide

noun

: a heavy strong-smelling gas that is used especially in making sulfuric acid, in bleaching, in preserving things, and as a refrigerant and that is a major substance in air pollution especially in industrial areas

Medical Definition

sulfur dioxide

noun

: a heavy pungent toxic gas SO₂ that is easily condensed to a colorless liquid, is used especially in making sulfuric acid, in bleaching, as a preservative, and as a refrigerant, and is a major air pollutant especially in industrial areas