lysis

1 of 2

noun

ly·​sis ˈlī-səs 

plural lyses ˈlī-ˌsēz 

1

: the gradual decline of a disease process (such as fever)

2

: a process of disintegration or dissolution (as of cells)

-lysis

2 of 2

noun combining form

plural -lyses

1

: decomposition

electrolysis

2

: disintegration : breaking down

autolysis

Examples of lysis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

She was admitted again to the University of Washington Hospital with tumor lysis syndrome (TLS), which caused her liver and kidneys to fail. —Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 9 Oct. 2025

This then triggers oxidative stress and cell lysis (exploding of cells), as well as an extreme inflammatory response from immune cells. —New Atlas, 18 Aug. 2025

And then there’s the fourth moment, which is what Jung called the lysis, where the energy of your life wants to go. —Amy Raasch, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024

Those four qualities are high temperature tolerance, the ability to invade a human host, lysis and absorption of human tissue and resistance to the human immune system. —Mac Stone, Discover Magazine, 19 Jan. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

New Latin, from Greek, act of loosening, dissolution, remission of fever, from lyein to loosen — more at lose

Noun combining form

New Latin, from Latin & Greek; Latin, loosening, from Greek, from lysis

First Known Use

Noun

1543, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lysis

• crisis
• phasis
• phthisis
• ecdysis
• pertussis
• haemoptysis
• hemoptysis

Kids Definition

lysis

noun

ly·​sis ˈlī-səs 

plural lyses ˈlī-ˌsēz 

: a process of breaking up especially of cells

Medical Definition

lysis

noun

ly·​sis ˈlī-səs 

plural lyses -ˌsēz 

1

: the gradual decline of a disease process (as fever) compare crisis sense 1

2

: a process of disintegration or dissolution (as of cells)