a. Chem. Also 9 † tellurious. [f. TELLUR-IUM + -OUS; substituted for the more regularly-formed tellurious.] Characterized by or of the nature of tellurium; said of compounds containing a greater proportion of tellurium than those called telluric; as tellurous acid, H2TeO3; also formerly applied to tellurous oxide (= tellurium dioxide), TeO2.
1842. {see TELLURIC a.1].
1849. D. Campbell, Inorg. Chem., 307. It deposits anhydrous tellurous acid in octohedral crystals. Tellurous acid hydrated precipitates in white flocks, of a bitter metallic taste.
1854. J. Scoffern, in Orrs Circ. Sc., Chem., 476. Two oxides of tellurium are known, tellurious acid Te O2, and telluric acid Te O3.
1869. Roscoe, Elem. Chem. (1871), 146. With water the dioxide forms tellurous acid.