arsenite

[ ahr-suh-nahyt ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a salt or ester of arsenous acid.

arsenite

/ ˈɑːsɪˌnaɪt /

noun

1. a salt or ester of arsenous acid, esp a salt containing the ion A 5 O 3 ^3–

Word History and Origins

Origin of arsenite¹

First recorded in 1790–1800; arsen- + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

In humans and other mammals, the main enzyme that converts arsenic into other chemical compounds is arsenite methyltransferase.

From Scientific American

Inorganic compounds such as copper arsenite, also called Scheele’s green, lent a coveted hue to some wallpapers and paints.

From Washington Post

Arsenic compounds are still liberally used, both as insecticides and as weed killers, where they usually take the chemical form of sodium arsenite.

From The New Yorker

One of the earliest pesticides associated with cancer is arsenic, occurring in sodium arsenite as a weed killer, and in calcium arsenate and various other compounds as insecticides.

From Literature

While the results of weed killers such as sodium arsenite or the phenols are grossly obvious, some other herbicides are more insidious in their effects.

From Literature