Standard Lemma guide

denaturation

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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /diːˌnætʃəˈɹeɪʃən/

1

noun

Meaning 1

The deliberate addition of a noxious substance to alcohol to make it unfit to drink

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The change of folding structure of a protein (and thus of physical properties) caused by heating, changes in pH, or exposure to certain chemicals.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: biochemistry, biology, chemistry, microbiology, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Old French desnaturer French dénaturerbor. English denature Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English denaturation From denature + -ation.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: desnaturalització — addition of a noxious substance to alcohol
  • Finnish: denaturointi — addition of a noxious substance to alcohol
  • Finnish: denaturoiminen — addition of a noxious substance to alcohol
  • Italian: denaturazione — addition of a noxious substance to alcohol
  • Swedish: denaturering — addition of a noxious substance to alcohol
  • Catalan: desnaturalització — change of folding structure of a protein
  • Finnish: denaturoituminen — change of folding structure of a protein
  • Greek: μετουσίωση (metousíosi) — change of folding structure of a protein
  • Indonesian: denaturasi — change of folding structure of a protein
  • Italian: denaturazione — change of folding structure of a protein
  • Malay: penyahaslian — change of folding structure of a protein
  • Polish: denaturacja — change of folding structure of a protein
  • Swedish: denaturering — change of folding structure of a protein