sulphite

plural sulphites

1. UKalternativechemistryAlternative spelling of sulfite.
2. obsoleteA person who is spontaneous and original in thought and conversation.

   A sulphite is a person who does his own thinking, he is a person who has surprises up his sleeve. He is explosive.

   1906, Gelett Burgess, Are You a Bromide?

   2 more examples

   Some years ago when the engraving business was just getting a foothold in Chicago and Jones was busily engaged in helping said business gain said foothold, he was known as Charles Engraving Jones. This is a fair sample of his methods. You need not expect anything bromidic from Jones; he is a sulphite.

   1908, Arthur F. Sheldon, About Smith, Whose Name is Jones, page 837

   "I don't know," Anna answered in the slow tone of one who is weight many things, "what Ruth will do. She's a sulphite you know."

   1922 May 28, Inez Haynes Irwin, “Hester”, in The Metropolitan, volume 55, page 18

   Antonyms: bromide