racemization

1 of 2

noun

ra·​ce·​mi·​za·​tion rā-ˌsē-mə-ˈzā-shən 

rə-;

ˌra-sə-mə- 

: the action or process of changing from an optically active compound into a racemic compound or mixture

racemize

rā-ˈsē-ˌmīz 

rə-;

  ˈra-sə- 

verb

racemize

2 of 2

verb

ra·​ce·​mize rā-ˈsē-ˌmīz 

rə-;

ˈra-sə-

-ed/-ing/-s

transitive verb

: to subject to racemization

intransitive verb

: to undergo racemization

Examples of racemization in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In the 1970s a flush of excitement over a technique called amino acid racemization led many workers to believe that another continent--North America--had been occupied by humans fully 70,000 years ago. —James Shreeve, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Verb

International Scientific Vocabulary racemic + -ize

First Known Use

Noun

1895, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for racemization

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Medical Definition

racemization

noun

ra·​ce·​mi·​za·​tion

variants also British racemisation

rā-ˌsē-mə-ˈzā-shən  rə-; ˌras-ə-mə- 

: the action or process of changing from an optically active compound into a racemic compound or mixture

racemize verb

also British racemise

rā-ˈsē-ˌmīz  rə-; ˈras-ə- 

racemized also British racemised; racemizing also British racemising