-lysis | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

16 entries found.

"dissolution of cells, bacteria, etc.," 1902, from -lysis or from Latin lysis, from Greek lysis "a loosening," from lyein "to unfasten, loose, loosen, untie" (from PIE root *leu- "to loosen, divide, cut apart"). Earlier in the sense "gradual recession of a disease" (1834).

glycolysis (n.)

1891, from French; see glyco- + -lysis.

lyse (v.)

1927, back-formation from lysis. Related: Lysed; lysing.

pyrolysis (n.)

"decomposition by the action of heat," 1879, from pyro- + -lysis. Related: Pyrolytic; pyrolyse.

plasmolysis (n.)

1883, in biology, from French plasmolysis (1877), from plasmo- (see plasma) + Greek lysis "a loosening" (see -lysis). Related: Plasmolytic; plasmolyze.

biolysis (n.)

1865, "the destruction of life," later more specifically "dissolution of a living organism, resolution of a dead organism into its constituent matter" (1880s); see bio- + -lysis. Related: Biolytic.

lytic (adj.)

"pertaining to lysis," 1889, from Greek lytikos "able to loose, loosing," from lytos "loosed," verbal adjective of lyein "to unfasten, loose, loosen, untie" (from PIE root *leu- "to loosen, divide, cut apart"). Related: Lytically.

lysol (n.)

brown oily coal-tar solution used as a disinfectant, 1890, coined, perhaps in German, from Greek lysis "dissolution, dissolving" (from lyein "to unfasten, loose, loosen, untie," from PIE root *leu- "to loosen, divide, cut apart") + -ol, element indicating "oil."

hydrolysis (n.)

"chemical decomposition by water," 1879, formed in English from hydro- + Greek lysis "a loosening, a dissolution," from lyein "to loosen, dissolve" (from PIE root *leu- "to loosen, divide, cut apart"). Related: Hydrolitic (1875).

lysergic (adj.)

in reference to a crystalline organic compound, 1934, from the -lys- in hydrolysis (thus from Greek lysis "a loosening, a dissolution," from lyein "to loosen, dissolve;" from PIE root *leu- "to loosen, divide, cut apart") + the first syllable of ergot (a fungus from which the chemical was first obtained) + -ic.

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