catalase

American

[kat-l-eys, -eyz] / ˈkæt lˌeɪs, -ˌeɪz /

noun

Biochemistry.

an enzyme that decomposes hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water.

catalase British

/ ˈkætəˌleɪs /

noun

an enzyme that catalyses the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

catalatic

adjective

Etymology

Origin of catalase

First recorded in 1900–05; catal(ysis) + -ase

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Catalase decomposes peroxides, with the liberation of free oxygen.

From The Chemistry of Plant Life by Thatcher, Roscoe Wilfred

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023