electrophoresis

[ ih-lek-troh-fuh-ree-sis ]

noun

1. Also called cataphoresis. Physical Chemistry. the motion of colloidal particles suspended in a fluid medium, due to the influence of an electric field on the medium.
2. Biology. this technique, applied to sorting proteins according to their responses to an electric field.

electrophoresis

/ ɪˌlɛktrəʊfəˈriːsɪs; ɪˌlɛktrəʊfəˈrɛtɪk /

noun

1. the motion of charged particles in a colloid under the influence of an applied electric field Also calledcataphoresis

electrophoresis

/ ĭ-lĕk′trō-fə-rē′sĭs /

1. The migration of electrically charged molecules through a fluid or gel under the influence of an electric field. Electrophoresis is used especially to separate combinations of compounds, such as fragments of DNA, for the purpose of studying their components.

Derived Forms

• electrophoretic, adjective

Other Words From

• e·lec·tro·pho·ret·ic [ih-lek-troh-f, uh, -, ret, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of electrophoresis¹

1910–15; electro- + Greek phórēsis a being borne; -phore, -sis