butyrylcholinesterase

noun

bu·​tyr·​yl·​cho·​lin·​es·​ter·​ase ˌbyü-tə-rəl-ˌkō-lə-ˈne-stə-ˌrās How to pronounce butyrylcholinesterase (audio)
-ˌrāz
: an enzyme related to acetylcholinesterase that has a soluble form occurring chiefly in blood plasma and promoting the hydrolysis of choline esters

called also cholinesterase, pseudocholinesterase

Examples of butyrylcholinesterase in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Carmel Harrington, a sleep medicine specialist at Children’s Hospital in Westmead, Australia, tested for levels of the enzyme butyrylcholinesterase in the blood. Dan Hurley, Washington Post, 23 May 2022 But the study was small, and the finding on low butyrylcholinesterase levels in SIDS was the first time such an observation has been made. Dan Hurley, Washington Post, 23 May 2022 The researchers who worked on the study also believe the levels of butyrylcholinesterase eventually stabilize, which could explain why there is a peak of SIDS in the very early months of life. Annalisa Merelli, Quartz, 18 May 2022 On average, those who died from SIDS had somewhat less butyrylcholinesterase activity in their blood than healthy newborns did. Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 17 May 2022 For their study, published May 6 in the journal eBioMedicine, the researchers measured levels of an enzyme called butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) in blood samples from 67 newborns who died of SIDS and other unknown causes between 2016 and 2020. Katherine Dillinger and Jen Christensen, CNN, 13 May 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of butyrylcholinesterase was in 1952

Dictionary Entries Near butyrylcholinesterase

Cite this Entry

“Butyrylcholinesterase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/butyrylcholinesterase. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

butyrylcholinesterase

noun
bu·​tyr·​yl·​cho·​lin·​es·​ter·​ase ˌbyüt-ə-rəl-ˌkō-lə-ˈnes-tə-ˌrās, -ˌrāz How to pronounce butyrylcholinesterase (audio)
: an enzyme related to acetylcholinesterase that has a soluble form occurring chiefly in blood plasma and promoting the hydrolysis of choline esters

called also cholinesterase, pseudocholinesterase

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