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Glite Dictionary
🧬 To self-break down 🍞 To rest dough
to autolyze

to autolyze

9.9
To let cells or tissue break down by their own enzymes
  • verb
  • /ˈɔːtəˌlaɪz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : autolizarse
  • Scientists observed that the tissue would autolyze if not preserved quickly.

Examples

  • Fish autolyze naturally after being caught.

  • During bread making, yeast cells can autolyze and release nutrients into the dough.

  • After the cells die, they begin to autolyze due to their own enzymes.

  • The vegetables will autolyze in the sauce.

  • After the cells die, they begin to autolyze due to their own enzymes.

  • Scientists observed that the tissue would autolyze if not preserved quickly.

  • Fish autolyze naturally after being caught.

Synonyms

to self-destruct
vsto autolyze
15 6.7

To ruin your own life or job by your actions

breaks down cells or tissues by internal enzymes rather than by deliberate destruction

How Much

to autolyze
  • Specialized
9.9

Surface Forms

autolyze infinitive
autolyzed past
autolyzed past participle
autolyzing present participle
autolyzes third person singular

Morphology

autolyze = lyse (semi-transparent) = auto + lyse

The meaning follows the regular pattern 'self-' plus 'break down', but the term remains technical and not fully transparent for average learners.

Etymology

Autolyze comes from Greek parts auto- 'self' and -lyze 'to break down', like the word analyze. In biology, cells autolyze when they use their own enzymes to 'break down' themselves after death, which is why the word means self-caused breakdown.