catabolic

American  

[kat-uh-bol-ik] / ˌkæt əˈbɒl ɪk /

adjective

Biology, Physiology.

1. involving or stimulating the breakdown of complex substances into simpler ones as part of the process of metabolism in living organisms (opposed to anabolic).

   The protein catabolic rate is the rate at which proteins break down in the body.

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Other Word Forms

• catabolically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of catabolic

catabol(ism) ( def. ) + -ic

Example Sentences

The digestible carbohydrates in an animal’s diet are converted to glucose molecules through a series of catabolic chemical reactions.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Figure 7.18 Glycogen from the liver and muscles, hydrolyzed into glucose-1-phosphate, together with fats and proteins, can feed into the catabolic pathways for carbohydrates.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Physical exercise involves both anabolic and catabolic processes.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

On the other hand, the catabolic process of breaking sugar down into simpler molecules releases energy in a series of exergonic reactions.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

One had an anabolic metabolism, one a catabolic.

From The Venus Trap by Smith, Evelyn E.