thermolabile

American  

[thur-moh-ley-bil, -bahyl] / ˌθɜr moʊˈleɪ bɪl, -baɪl /

adjective

Biochemistry.

1. subject to destruction or loss of characteristic properties by the action of moderate heat, as certain toxins and enzymes (thermostable ).

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thermolabile British  

/ ˌθɜːməʊˈleɪbɪl /

adjective

1. (of certain biochemical and chemical compounds) easily decomposed or subject to a loss of characteristic properties by the action of heat Compare thermostable

   a thermolabile enzyme

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Other Word Forms

• thermolability noun

Etymology

Origin of thermolabile

First recorded in 1900–05; thermo- + labile

Example Sentences

Desislava Nikolova, health editor for Bulgarian newspaper Capital Weekly, reportedly complained, "Bulgarian authorities knew, for a while now, exactly when the first vaccines were arriving. It perplexes me why the government needed to use a hot dog truck instead of a vehicle licensed for distribution of thermolabile medicines."

From Fox News

The separate action of these substances can be studied since one is thermolabile, or destroyed by heating the serum to one hundred and thirty-three degrees; the other thermostabile, or capable of withstanding a greater degree of heat.

From Project Gutenberg

The thermostabile substance, or amboceptor, as it is generally called, has in itself no destructive action on the bacteria; but in some way so alters them that they can be acted on by the thermolabile substance called complement whose action is destructive.

From Project Gutenberg