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

China has cut its sulfur dioxide emissions by over 70 percent since 2005 by installing new technologies and scrubbers on fossil fuel plants. —Shannon Osaka, Washington Post, 25 June 2024

This change resulted in a roughly 80% reduction in harmful sulfur dioxide emissions from ships worldwide. —Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2024

Around 183 million years ago, there was a perturbation in the carbon cycle, along with extreme volcanism that belched out massive amounts of methane, sulfur dioxide, and mercury. —Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 28 May 2024

Fox provides an important review of the issues and likelihood of distributing sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere in an attempt to partially reflect solar radiation back into space to cool the planet (or portions of it) while humanity reduces emissions of heat-trapping gases. —Scientific American, 1 Feb. 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