lysis

1 of 2

noun

ly·​sis ˈlī-səs 

plural lyses ˈlī-ˌsēz 

1

: the gradual decline of a disease process (such as fever)

2

: a process of disintegration or dissolution (as of cells)

-lysis

2 of 2

noun combining form

plural -lyses

1

: decomposition

electrolysis

2

: disintegration : breaking down

autolysis

Examples of lysis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And then there’s the fourth moment, which is what Jung called the lysis, where the energy of your life wants to go. —Amy Raasch, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024

Nearly all of the 110 groups were present throughout the study, a surprising result given the boom-and-bust dynamics frequently dictated by viral lysis events. —Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 11 Dec. 2015

Those four qualities are high temperature tolerance, the ability to invade a human host, lysis and absorption of human tissue and resistance to the human immune system. —Mac Stone, Discover Magazine, 19 Jan. 2023

In this variant, high densities of ahl generated haemolysin E – an anti-tumor toxin – and also stimluated a suicidal gene E that caused cell lysis. —Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 26 Apr. 2017

Biodegradable nanostructures with selective lysis of microbial membranes. —Patrick Morgan, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2011

The resulting phages eventually burst out of the cell, destroying it, in an action called lysis. —WIRED, 27 Sep. 2022

Tumor lysis syndrome can cause electrolyte abnormalities and damage to the kidneys. —Jacqueline Howard and Carma Hassan, CNN, 2 Feb. 2022

There is no shortage of Roche’s lysis buffer solution as of today. —Ed Silverman, STAT, 27 Mar. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Noun

New Latin, from Greek, act of loosening, dissolution, remission of fever, from lyein to loosen — more at lose

Noun combining form

New Latin, from Latin & Greek; Latin, loosening, from Greek, from lysis

First Known Use

Noun

1543, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

lysis

noun

ly·​sis ˈlī-səs 

plural lyses ˈlī-ˌsēz 

: a process of breaking up especially of cells

Medical Definition

lysis

noun

ly·​sis ˈlī-səs 

plural lyses -ˌsēz 

1

: the gradual decline of a disease process (as fever) compare crisis sense 1

2

: a process of disintegration or dissolution (as of cells)