Standard Lemma guide

phosphatase

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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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any of several enzymes that hydrolyze phosphate esters, and are important in the metabolism of carbohydrates, nucleotides and phospholipids, and in the formation of bone.

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

2

noun

Meaning 2

any of a group of enzymes that act as a catalyst in the hydrolysis of organic phosphates

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: enzyme

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English phosphate Proto-Indo-European *dwóh1 Proto-Indo-European *dwísder. Ancient Greek διά (diá) Ancient Greek δῐᾰ- (dĭă-) Proto-Indo-European *steh2- Proto-Indo-European *stísteh2ti Proto-Hellenic *hístāmi Ancient Greek ῐ̔́στημῐ (hĭ́stēmĭ) Ancient Greek δῐῐ̈́στημῐ (dĭĭ̈́stēmĭ) Ancient Greek δῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs) English diastase English -ase English phosphatase From phosphate + -ase.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 磷酸酶 (lín suān méi) — an enzyme that hydrolyzes phosphate esters
  • Czech: fosfatáza — an enzyme that hydrolyzes phosphate esters
  • Finnish: fosfataasi — an enzyme that hydrolyzes phosphate esters
  • French: phosphatase — an enzyme that hydrolyzes phosphate esters
  • German: Phosphatase — an enzyme that hydrolyzes phosphate esters
  • Italian: fosfatasi — an enzyme that hydrolyzes phosphate esters
  • Portuguese: fosfatase — an enzyme that hydrolyzes phosphate esters
  • Spanish: fosfatasa — an enzyme that hydrolyzes phosphate esters
  • Swedish: fosfatas — an enzyme that hydrolyzes phosphate esters
  • Vietnamese: photphataza — an enzyme that hydrolyzes phosphate esters