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• lysis
  lysis

  noun

  the dissolution or destruction of cells by lysins.
• -lysis
  -lysis

  a combining form with the meaning “breaking down, loosening, decomposition,” used in the formation of compound words.

lysis

¹ American  

[lahy-sis] / ˈlaɪ sɪs /

noun

lyses plural

1. Immunology, Biochemistry. the dissolution or destruction of cells by lysins.

2. Medicine/Medical. the gradual recession of a disease.

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-lysis ² American  

1. a combining form with the meaning “breaking down, loosening, decomposition,” used in the formation of compound words.

   analysis; electrolysis; paralysis.

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lysis ¹ British  

/ ˈlaɪsɪs /

noun

1. the destruction or dissolution of cells by the action of a particular lysin

2. med the gradual reduction in severity of the symptoms of a disease

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-lysis ² British  

combining form

1. indicating a loosening, decomposition, or breaking down

   electrolysis

   paralysis

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lysis Scientific  

/ lī′sĭs /

1. The disintegration of a cell resulting from destruction of its membrane by a chemical substance, especially an antibody or enzyme.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• lyses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of lysis¹

1815–25; < New Latin < Greek lýsis a loosening, releasing, equivalent to ly-, variant stem of lȳ́ ( ein ) to loosen, release + -sis -sis

Origin of -lysis²

From Greek; see origin at lysis

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lysis lyses

They also identified a regulatory protein which is required for strict control of both GTA activation and GTA-mediated lysis.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 17, 2026

The paper is titled "Convergent MurJ flippase inhibition by phage lysis proteins."

From Science Daily ● Feb. 28, 2026

And then there’s the fourth moment, which is what Jung called the lysis, where the energy of your life wants to go.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2024

As illustrated in Figure 33.28, systemic lupus erythematosus may affect the heart, joints, lungs, skin, kidneys, central nervous system, or other tissues, causing tissue damage via antibody binding, complement recruitment, lysis, and inflammation.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

It is to be noted that the course of those paroxysms which terminate in lysis indicates that they may represent a milder type of the above process.

From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various

Intracellularly, infected cells typically die after the infecting pathogen replicates to a sufficient concentration and lyses the cell, as many viruses do.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022