hydrolysis

American  

[hahy-drol-uh-sis] / haɪˈdrɒl ə sɪs /

noun

• hydrolyses
  plural

1. chemical decomposition in which a compound is split into other compounds by reacting with water.

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hydrolysis British  

/ haɪˈdrɒlɪsɪs /

noun

1. a chemical reaction in which a compound reacts with water to produce other compounds

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hydrolysis Scientific  

/ hī-drŏl′ĭ-sĭs /

1. The reaction of water with another chemical compound to form two or more products, involving the ionization of the water molecule and usually splitting the other compound. The proteins, fats, and complex carbohydrates in food are broken down in the body by hydrolysis that is catalyzed by enzymes in the digestive tract.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• hydrolyses
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of hydrolysis

First recorded in 1875–80; hydro- ¹ + -lysis

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hydrolysis hydrolyses

The process - called alkaline hydrolysis - will offer families a third option instead of burial or traditional cremation.

From BBC ● Mar. 2, 2026

One important process is ATP hydrolysis, which is how cells break down adenosine triphosphate to release energy.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 16, 2025

This often includes steps such as hydrogenation, which produces semisolid oils, and hydrolysis, which enhances flavors.

From Scientific American ● Nov. 8, 2023

Alkaline hydrolysis, also known as water cremation, is a natural method of decomposition that uses water to cremate the body.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2023

The organic matter is mostly sugar mixtures derived from the hydrolysis of cellulose, but, in addition, there are various food factors which must be added.

From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov

Here we show that the MCM complex, which hydrolyses ATP during double-hexamer formation2,3, remains stably bound to ADP in the double hexamer.

From Nature ● Feb. 27, 2018

This compound combines with hydrocyanic acid to form a nitrile which hydrolyses to dichlor-hydroxy iso-butyric acid.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 4 "Cincinnatus" to "Cleruchy" by Various

By acting with these enzymes on the natural glucosides, it is found that the majority are of the β-form; e.g. emulsin hydrolyses salicin, helicin, aesculin, coniferin, syringin, &c.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 2 "Gloss" to "Gordon, Charles George" by Various

Fraxin, C16H18O10, occurring in Fraxinus excelsior, and with aesculin in horse-chestnut, hydrolyses to glucose and fraxetin, the monomethyl ester of a trioxycoumarin.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 2 "Gloss" to "Gordon, Charles George" by Various

In general, all proteolytic actions, even when accelerated by active enzymes, proceed much more slowly than do the hydrolyses of carbohydrates or fats.

From The Chemistry of Plant Life by Roscoe Wilfred Thatcher

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