hydrolysis

1 of 2

noun

hy·​dro·​ly·​sis hī-ˈdrä-lə-səs How to pronounce hydrolysis (audio)
: a chemical process of decomposition involving the splitting of a bond and the addition of the hydrogen cation and the hydroxide anion of water
hydrolytic adjective
hydrolytically adverb

hydrolytic

2 of 2

adjective

hy·​dro·​lyt·​ic ¦hī-drə-¦li-tik How to pronounce hydrolytic (audio)
: of, relating to, or causing hydrolysis
hydrolytically adverb

Examples of hydrolysis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
This will be one of nine working facilities in the U.S. using a thermal hydrolysis process. Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 5 May 2026 Alkaline hydrolysis — using water for cremation Alkaline hydrolysis is also supposed to mimic and speed up natural decomposition. Dorany Pineda, Fortune, 2 May 2026 The sustainable funeral arrangement has prompted the Law Commission to consider similar regulatory frameworks for both hydrolysis and human composting across England and Wales. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Mar. 2026 When metabolized by the beetles, the spruce sugars are removed through hydrolysis, converting them into aglycones that are even more toxic to microscopic invaders. Elizabeth Rayne, ArsTechnica, 1 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hydrolysis

Word History

Etymology

Noun

New Latin

Adjective

International Scientific Vocabulary hydr- + -lytic

First Known Use

Noun

1880, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hydrolysis was in 1880

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Cite this Entry

“Hydrolysis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hydrolysis. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

hydrolysis

noun
hy·​drol·​y·​sis
hī-ˈdräl-ə-səs
: a process of breaking down a chemical compound that involves splitting a bond and adding the elements of water to the resulting molecular fragments

Medical Definition

hydrolysis

noun
hy·​dro·​ly·​sis hī-ˈdräl-ə-səs, ˌhī-drə-ˈlī- How to pronounce hydrolysis (audio)
: a chemical process of decomposition involving the splitting of a bond and the addition of the hydrogen cation and the hydroxide anion of water
hydrolytic adjective
hydrolytically adverb

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