α. 1800s– tellurous.
β. 1800s– tellurious (rare).
tellurousadj.
/ˈtɛljᵿrəs/, U.S. /ˈtɛljərəs/ Chemistry.
Of tellurium in its lower common oxidation state or valency (+4). Cf. telluric adj.1Recorded earliest in tellurous acid n. at Compounds.
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the world > matter > chemistry > elements and compounds > metals > specific elements > tellurium > [adjective] > compounds
telluric1804
telluretted1810
tellurous1833
hydrotelluric1864
1833 Rep. 1st & 2nd Meetings Brit. Assoc. Advancem. Sci. 1831–2 472 The tellurous acid (acidum tellurosum) is obtained in the state of a voluminous flocky precipitate.
1868 H. Watts Dict. Chem. V. 718 Tellurous sulphide combines with the sulphides of basylous metals, forming the sulphotellurites.
1870 J. P. Cooke First Princ. Chem. Philos. xix. 320 When heated in the air, it burns with a greenish blue flame, and is converted into tellurous anhydride, TeO2.
1912 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 22 June 95/2 The telluric and tellurous salts did not act satisfactorily, although the former proved more harmful to trypanosomes than the latter.
2010 M. Bouroushian Electrochem. Metal Chalcogenides ii. 72 Tellurous ions can be obtained in very acidic solutions.
Compounds
tellurous acid n. a weak acid, H2TeO3, known chiefly in aqueous solution or in the form of salts (tellurites); (also) †tellurium dioxide (obsolete).
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the world > matter > chemistry > chemical substances > acids > [noun] > acids-named > containing tellorium
telluric acid1813
tellurous acid1833
tellurhydric acid1857
1833 [see main sense].
1855 J. Scoffern Elem. Chem. 476 Two oxides of tellurium are known, tellurious acid TeO2, and telluric acid TeO3.
1866 H. E. Roscoe Lessons Elem. Chem. xiv. 124 With water the dioxide forms tellurous acid.
1922 T. M. Lowry Inorg. Chem. xxv. 356 The crude metal is purified by oxidation by aqua regia to tellurous acid, H2TeO3.
2010 G. K. Schweitzer & L. L. Pesterfield Aqueous Chem. Elements x. 239 The species occurring upon dissolution is tellurous acid.
tellurous oxide n. now rare = tellurium dioxide n. at tellurium n. Compounds 2.
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1860 J. J. Griffin Chem. Recreations (ed. 10) ii. 632 Tec,TecO = tellurous oxide (again a contradiction in terms).
1878 Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. 1877–8 17 115 In the cavities and on the surface are rarely found tellurous oxide or tellurite, in minute crystals.
1911 Bull. U.S. Geol. Surv. No. 478. 109 Some brick-red stains are also believed to be due to the presence of tellurous oxide.
1972 F. E. Beamish & J. C. Van Loon Recent Adv. in Analyt. Chem. Noble Metals 334 Prepare by dissolving tellurous oxide or sodium or potassium tellurite..in concentrated hydrochloric acid and diluting 10-fold with water.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2015; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1833