hydrolysis

/haɪˈdrɒlɪsɪs/

Definitions

1. noun

The chemical process in which a compound is cleaved into two parts using water.

“The chemist studied the process of hydrolysis to understand how enzymes break down complex molecules.”

2. verb

To break down a compound into two parts using water.

“Hydrolysis can be used to extract sugar from plant cells.”

Synonyms

  • hydration
  • lysis

Antonyms

  • dehydration