thermostable

American

[thur-moh-stey-buhl] / ˌθɜr moʊˈsteɪ bəl /

adjective

Biochemistry.

capable of being subjected to a moderate degree of heat without loss of characteristic properties, as certain toxins and enzymes (opposed to thermolabile).

thermostable British

/ ˌθɜːməʊstəˈbɪlɪtɪ, ˌθɜːməʊˈsteɪbəl /

adjective

(of certain chemical and biochemical compounds) capable of withstanding moderate heat without loss of characteristic properties Compare thermolabile

a thermostable plastic
not affected by high temperatures

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

thermostability

noun

Etymology

Origin of thermostable

First recorded in 1900–05; thermo- + stable ²

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.

Taq polymerase is a DNA polymerase isolated from the thermostable bacterium Thermus aquaticus that is able to withstand the high temperatures used in PCR.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Herbring, V., Bäucker, A., Trowitzsch, S. & Tampé, R. A dual inhibition mechanism of herpesviral ICP47 arresting a conformationally thermostable TAP complex.

From Nature • Nov. 5, 2017

They also show a heterogeneity in terms of heat inactivation, with the presence of thermostable subpopulations36.

From Nature • Nov. 8, 2016

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023