[f. TELLUR-IUM + -ITE1 2 b, 4 b.]
1. Min. Native oxide of tellurium, found in minute whitish or yellow crystals; telluric ochre.
1799. Monthly Rev., XXX. 349. Among the metals, are overlooked the Tellurite, the Chromite, and Titanite.
1849. Nicol, Min., 429.
1868. Dana, Min. (ed. 5), 188.
2. Chem. A salt of tellurous acid.
1847. in Webster.
1868. Watts, Dict. Chem., V. 714. Tellurites. Tellurous acid forms, with the alkali-metals, neutral and acid salts analogous to the sulphites and selenites. Ibid. Tellurites are mostly fusible.
1869. Roscoe, Elem. Chem. (1871), 146. When tellurium or a tellurite is fused with nitre, potassium tellurate is formed.