-lyze

American  

especially British, -lyse

1. a combining form occurring in verbs that correspond to nouns ending in -lysis:

   catalyze.

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Usage

What does -lyze mean? The combining form -lyze is used like a suffix meaning roughly “to break down, loosen, decompose.” It denotes verbs that correspond to nouns that end in -lysis. It is often used in scientific terms, especially in medicine.The form -lyze comes from the combination of two forms. The first of these is -lysis, from Greek lýsis, meaning “a loosening, releasing.” The second form is -ize, which is used to denote verbs, from Greek -izein.What are variants of -lyze?In British English, the form -lyze is most often spelled with an -s-, becoming -lyse, as in analyse. The suffix -lyze is related to the combining forms -lytic and -lyte. The form -lytic is used to form adjectives relating to -lysis, as in analytic. The form -lyte denotes something subjected to a noun ending in -lysis, as in electrolyte. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles for those forms.

Etymology

Origin of -lyze

ly(sis) + -(i)ze

Example Sentences

I must check through my anatomical drawings and compare notes and ana­lyze the results.

From Project Gutenberg

He'd just par'lyze her till we couldn't even get a job goin' t' hunt 'n' fetch th' cows out o' a ten acre pasture.

From Project Gutenberg

Words which require Care in Spelling. scream com'et peb'ble in ter cede' screen vom'it reb'el su per sede' sheave plum'met sib'yl col'o nize sheet sum'mit spin'et ad ver tise' shield ver'y lin'net par'a lyze twirl mer'ry cam'el se'cre cy churl bod'y tram'mel ec'sta sy clerk shod'dy mam'mal vac'il late quirk mud'dy sev'en fas'ci nate fraud stud'y heav'en co er'cion broad guin'ea par'rot de ter'sion awe'd nin'ny clar'et ex er'tion Lesson 213.

From Project Gutenberg

Words to be carefully discriminated. cor'po ral, an officer. ve'ni al, pardonable. cor po're al, bodily. ve'nal, mercenary; base. du'al ist, a believer in two gods. ap'po site, suitable; fit. op'po site, over against. du'el ist, one who fights a duel ac cla ma'tion, a slout. ac cli ma'tion, inurement to climate. de scen'sion, descent. dis sen'sion, strife. an'a lyze, to separate. ce're ous, like wax. an'nal ize. to record. se'ri ous, grave; solemn. or'a cle, a prophet.

From Project Gutenberg

For he wille not lyze with his wyfes, but 4 sithes in the zeer, aftre the four cesouns: and that is only for to engendre children.

From Project Gutenberg