citric acid cycle: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical / Academic
Quick answer
What does “citric acid cycle” mean?
The central metabolic pathway in cells that breaks down food molecules to release energy.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The central metabolic pathway in cells that breaks down food molecules to release energy.
Also called the Krebs cycle or tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle; it is the second stage of cellular respiration, involving a series of chemical reactions that produce energy-rich molecules used to power the cell.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or conceptual differences; both use the term interchangeably with 'Krebs cycle'.
Connotations
None beyond its strict scientific meaning.
Frequency
Equally frequent in academic and scientific contexts in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “citric acid cycle” in a Sentence
The citric acid cycle occurs [prepositional phrase: in the mitochondria].Acetyl-CoA enters [noun phrase: the citric acid cycle].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “citric acid cycle” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [No verb form]
American English
- [No verb form]
adverb
British English
- [No adverb form]
American English
- [No adverb form]
adjective
British English
- The citric-acid-cycle intermediates were analysed.
American English
- The citric acid cycle intermediates were analyzed.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used outside of biotechnology or pharmaceutical R&D contexts.
Academic
Core term in biology, biochemistry, physiology, and medical sciences.
Everyday
Virtually never used; laypeople would say 'how cells get energy'.
Technical
The primary and precise term used in scientific writing, lab reports, and textbooks.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “citric acid cycle”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “citric acid cycle”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “citric acid cycle”
- Confusing it with glycolysis (which precedes it) or the electron transport chain (which follows it).
- Saying 'citric cycle' instead of the full 'citric acid cycle'.
- Misspelling as 'citrus acid cycle'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, they are identical. 'Krebs cycle' honours the scientist Hans Krebs, while 'citric acid cycle' describes the first intermediate formed.
It takes place in the mitochondrial matrix of eukaryotic cells.
Its primary purpose is to harvest high-energy electrons from carbon fuels, which are then used to produce ATP via oxidative phosphorylation.
No, the cycle itself requires oxygen indirectly because it needs the electron transport chain (which requires oxygen) to regenerate the NAD+ and FAD that it uses.
The central metabolic pathway in cells that breaks down food molecules to release energy.
Citric acid cycle is usually technical / academic in register.
Citric acid cycle: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsɪtrɪk ˌæsɪd ˈsaɪkl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsɪtrɪk ˌæsɪd ˈsaɪkl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No idioms exist for this technical term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Citric Acid Cycle Creates ATP: C-A-C-C-A-T (Citrate, Aconitate, cis-Aconitate, Isocitrate, Alpha-ketoglutarate, Succinyl-CoA, Succinate, Fumarate, Malate, Oxaloacetate).
Conceptual Metaphor
A POWER PLANT / FURNACE (it 'burns' fuel molecules to 'generate' energy currency).
Practice
Quiz
What is another name for the citric acid cycle?