pyrolysis
Americannoun
-
the subjection of organic compounds to very high temperatures.
-
the resulting decomposition.
noun
-
the application of heat to chemical compounds in order to cause decomposition
-
chemical decomposition of compounds caused by high temperatures
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pyrolysis
Vocabulary lists containing pyrolysis
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.
Earlier approaches for converting polyethylene into gasoline have typically relied on pyrolysis, a process that uses intense heat to break large polymer molecules into smaller hydrocarbons.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026
Plastic Energy, meanwhile, is successfully converting plastic waste into pyrolysis oil that can be used to make food and medical grade plastic.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2025
Fighting Dirty founder Georgia Elliott-Smith says sending tyres from the UK to India for pyrolysis is a "massive unrecognised problem" which the UK government should deal with.
From BBC ● Mar. 25, 2025
While others in the field have attempted to break tire materials down using high heat, through a process known as pyrolysis, 6PPD is stubborn and the diketone molecules remain in the oil left behind.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 20, 2024
ProPublica explored the most popular form of chemical recycling, pyrolysis; we found it is so inefficient that it yields products with almost no actual recycled content.
From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2024
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
