Standard Lemma guide

cytolysis

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • rhymes with -ɒlɪsɪs

1

noun

Meaning 1

The pathological breakdown of a cell due to the bursting of the cell membrane caused by osmosis

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

pathological breakdown of cells by the destruction of their outer membrane

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: lysis

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Ancient Greek κύτος (kútos)lbor. English cyto- Proto-Indo-European *lewh1-der. Ancient Greek λύω (lúō) Proto-Indo-European *-tis Ancient Greek -τις (-tis) Ancient Greek -σις (-sis) Ancient Greek λῠ́σῐς (lŭ́sĭs)der. English -lysis English cytolysis From cyto- + -lysis.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: اِنْحِلَال خَلَوِيّ (inḥilāl ḵalawiyy) — the pathological breakdown of a cell due to the bursting of the cell membrane caused by osmosis
  • Czech: plazmoptýza — the pathological breakdown of a cell due to the bursting of the cell membrane caused by osmosis
  • Czech: cytolýza — the pathological breakdown of a cell due to the bursting of the cell membrane caused by osmosis
  • French: cytolyse — the pathological breakdown of a cell due to the bursting of the cell membrane caused by osmosis
  • German: Zytolyse — the pathological breakdown of a cell due to the bursting of the cell membrane caused by osmosis
  • Portuguese: citólise — the pathological breakdown of a cell due to the bursting of the cell membrane caused by osmosis
  • Russian: цитолиз (tsytolyz) — the pathological breakdown of a cell due to the bursting of the cell membrane caused by osmosis