electrophoresis

noun elec·tro·pho·re·sis \ i-ˌlek-trə-fə-ˈrē-səs \

|Updated on: 18 Jun 2018

Definition of electrophoresis

: the movement of suspended particles through a medium (such as paper or gel) under the action of an electromotive force applied to electrodes in contact with the suspension

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electrophorese

play \i-ˌlek-trə-fə-ˈrēs, -ˈrēz\ transitive verb

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electrophoretic

play \i-ˌlek-trə-fə-ˈre-tik\ adjective

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electrophoretically

play \i-ˌlek-trə-fə-ˈre-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Recent Examples of electrophoresis from the Web

These fragments were then placed in a gel and separated by electrophoresis, the application of an electric charge.

— Fortune, "DNA Detectives Are Searching for Killers in Your Family Tree," 14 June 2018
The test uses a process called capillary electrophoresis to separate a liquid into its independent components.

— jay bennett, Popular Mechanics, "JPL Invents a Better Way to Test for Alien Life," 27 Jan. 2017
His invention, called gel electrophoresis, is in wide use today.

— denise gellene, New York Times, "Oliver Smithies, Tinkerer Who Transformed Genetics and Won a Nobel, Dies at 91," 11 Jan. 2017
The mixture is then funneled through a channel via capillary electrophoresis.

— jeffrey marlow, WIRED, "Why Spacecraft of the Future Will Be Packed With Microfluidics," 21 June 2013
The team used a technique called gel electrophoresis to break down the muscles into individual muscle fibers, and compared this breakdown to human muscle fiber data.

— jon cohen, Science | AAAS, "How chimps outmuscle humans," 26 June 2017
Capillary electrophoresis has been used since the 1980s, but the new test made some important changes that optimize the process to search for alien life.

— jay bennett, Popular Mechanics, "JPL Invents a Better Way to Test for Alien Life," 27 Jan. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'electrophoresis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of electrophoresis

New Latin

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1911

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary