Phrase guide

Krebs cycle

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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1

noun

Meaning 1

A series of enzymatic reactions that occurs in all aerobic organisms, involving the oxidative metabolism of acetyl units, and serving as the main source of cellular energy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

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

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: citrate cycle, citric acid cycle, TCA cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

in all plants and animals: a series of enzymatic reactions in mitochondria involving oxidative metabolism of acetyl compounds to produce high-energy phosphate compounds that are the source of cellular energy

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Krebs citric acid cycle, citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: organic process, biological process

History

Etymology

Named after German biochemist and physician Hans Adolf Krebs.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 克雷伯氏循環 /克雷伯氏循环 (Kèléibóshì xúnhuán) — series of enzymatic reactions — see also citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle
  • Chinese Mandarin: 克雷布斯循環 /克雷布斯循环 (Kèléibùsī xúnhuán) — series of enzymatic reactions — see also citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle
  • Estonian: tsitraaditsükkel — series of enzymatic reactions — see also citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle
  • Finnish: sitruunahappokierto — series of enzymatic reactions — see also citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle
  • Finnish: Krebsin sykli — series of enzymatic reactions — see also citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle
  • Finnish: trikarboksyylihappokierto — series of enzymatic reactions — see also citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle
  • French: cycle de Krebs — series of enzymatic reactions — see also citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle
  • Galician: ciclo de Krebs — series of enzymatic reactions — see also citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle
  • Galician: ciclo do ácido cítrico — series of enzymatic reactions — see also citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle
  • German: Krebs-Zyklus — series of enzymatic reactions — see also citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle
  • Hungarian: Krebs-ciklus — series of enzymatic reactions — see also citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle
  • Italian: ciclo di Krebs — series of enzymatic reactions — see also citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle
  • Russian: цикл трикарбоновых кислот (cikl trikarbonovyx kislot) — series of enzymatic reactions — see also citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle
  • Spanish: ciclo de Krebs — series of enzymatic reactions — see also citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle
  • Vietnamese: chu trình Krebs — series of enzymatic reactions — see also citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle