magnesium sulfate

noun

Definition of magnesium sulfate

: a sulfate of magnesium: such as

a : a white salt MgSO₄ used in medicine and in industry

b : epsom salts

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Recent Examples of magnesium sulfate from the Web

If the tree is a sugar (hard) maple, the problem can be solved by applying magnesium sulfate annually in the fall or winter until the leaves are again normal.

— dick crum, Indianapolis Star, "Dr. Dirt: Magnolia not commonly grown in Central Indiana," 20 Oct. 2017
First, the visitors rode to Hospital Metropolitano de la Montaña to drop off the medicine its staff had requested: dopamine, epinephrine, magnesium sulfate, atropine, calcium gluconate, and more.

— richard fausset, New York Times, "A Doctor’s Abandoned Journey Into Isolated Puerto Rico," 9 Oct. 2017
Such overdoses of the salt, aka magnesium sulfate, can cause diarrhea, breathing problems, kidney injury, and cardiac arrhythmias.

— beth mole, Ars Technica, "Naturopath teaches real doctors something—a new way to cause liver damage," 3 Oct. 2017
Epsom salt, or magnesium sulfate, provides the body with magnesium that can reduce muscle and joint issues after intense workouts.

— josh katzenstein, NOLA.com, "Saints utilized tent with proactive recovery equipment throughout training camp," 6 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'magnesium sulfate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of magnesium sulfate

1869

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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Medical Dictionary

magnesium sulfate

noun

medical Definition of magnesium sulfate

: a white anhydrous salt MgSO₄ that occurs naturally in hydrated form as Epsom salts and that in the hydrated form MgSO₄·7H₂O is administered orally to relieve constipation or by injection to treat magnesium deficiency, to control convulsions associated with eclampsia, and to treat symptoms (as hypertension and convulsions) associated with nephritis in children