Chem. [f. CHLOR-INE + -ITE.] A salt of chlorous acid (hydrogen chlorite, H Cl O2); e.g., chlorite of silver, silver chlorite, Ag Cl O2, having the form of yellow crystalline scales, which decompose with explosion.
Hypochlorite, a salt of hypochlorous acid.
1853. W. Gregory, Inorg. Chem., 110. Cl O4, Cl3 O12, and Cl3 O17 … they all yield, with potash, mixtures of chlorate and chlorite.
1863–72. Watts, Dict. Chem., I. 916. Hypochlorites, chlorites, chlorates, and perchlorates of alkali-metal, when strongly heated, are alike converted into chlorides by loss of oxygen.
