Natural Phenomenon or Process
hydrolysis Audio
hy·drol·y·sis [ hahy-drol-uh-sis ]
Etymology:
Greek hydor = water + lysis = solution
Definitions related to hydrolysis:
  • A chemical reaction in which a water molecule is added to a compound. This addition often involves the splitting or cleavage of the molecule. The hydroxyl group is incorporated into one fragment of the compound and the hydrogen atom in the other.
    NCI
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • A chemical reaction that uses water to break down a compound.
    NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • Process of cleaving a chemical compound by the addition of a molecule of water.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • The process of cleaving a chemical compound by the addition of a molecule of water.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
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This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.