electrophoresis

noun

elec·​tro·​pho·​re·​sis i-ˌlek-trə-fə-ˈrē-səs How to pronounce electrophoresis (audio)
: 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
electrophorese transitive verb
electrophoretic adjective
electrophoretically adverb

Examples of electrophoresis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The new devices, an organic electronic ion pump custom designed for the anatomy of rats, is based on the principle of electrophoresis: the transport of molecules through a fluid or gel under the influence of an electric field. IEEE Spectrum, 8 May 2015 Gel electrophoresis uses an electrical field to separate out the molecules of DNA and the florescent stain in the gel allows the results to be viewed under a black light. Kendra MacK, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Aug. 2023 The most common blood test is hemoglobin electrophoresis, in which electrical currents are passed through a blood sample, separating different types of hemoglobin into discrete bands. Krithika Varagur, Harper's Magazine, 10 July 2023 Back in her lab, Watsa analyzes the sample using a small electrophoresis device that’s connected to a smartphone. Katie Hunt, CNN, 4 Dec. 2022 Rather than use electrophoresis, Righetti opted to try a more powerful technique called mass spectrometry. Jo Marchant, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Nov. 2022 These fragments were then placed in a gel and separated by electrophoresis, the application of an electric charge. Fortune, 14 June 2018 The test uses a process called capillary electrophoresis to separate a liquid into its independent components. Jay Bennett, Popular Mechanics, 27 Jan. 2017 His invention, called gel electrophoresis, is in wide use today. Denise Gellene, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'electrophoresis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of electrophoresis was in 1911

Dictionary Entries Near electrophoresis

Cite this Entry

“Electrophoresis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/electrophoresis. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

electrophoresis

noun
elec·​tro·​pho·​re·​sis -trə-fə-ˈrē-səs How to pronounce electrophoresis (audio)
plural electrophoreses -ˌsēz How to pronounce electrophoresis (audio)
: the movement of suspended particles through a fluid or gel under the action of an electromotive force applied to electrodes in contact with the suspension

called also cataphoresis

electrophoretic adjective
electrophoretically adverb

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