pyrolysis

noun

py·​rol·​y·​sis pī-ˈrä-lə-səs 

: chemical change brought about by the action of heat

pyrolytic

ˌpī-rə-ˈli-tik 

adjective

pyrolytically

ˌpī-rə-ˈli-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of pyrolysis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The project will also test whether waste plastic pyrolysis can be integrated into a large refinery environment at industrial scale. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026

The company’s scientists then heated this material and observed the decomposition of minerals through a process known as pyrolysis. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026

These include dissolution, which uses solvents to recover polystyrene as pellets, and pyrolysis, which heats mixed plastic waste in low oxygen to produce oil-like feedstocks for new plastic. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 16 July 2026

The group protested Thursday afternoon against the major plastic recycling facility that is testing a method called pyrolysis. — Bryant Reed, CBS News, 14 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pyrolysis

• autolysis
• cytolysis
• glycolysis
• haemolysis
• hydrolysis
• lipolysis
• photolysis
• thermolysis
• electrolysis
• fibrinolysis
• radiolysis
• glycogenolysis

Medical Definition

pyrolysis

noun

py·​rol·​y·​sis pī-ˈräl-ə-səs 

plural pyrolyses -ˌsēz 

: chemical change brought about by the action of heat

pyrolytic

ˌpī-rə-ˈlit-ik 

adjective