hemolyze: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
RareTechnical / Medical / Scientific
Quick answer
What does “hemolyze” mean?
To cause the destruction of red blood cells, resulting in the release of hemoglobin.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To cause the destruction of red blood cells, resulting in the release of hemoglobin.
In broader scientific contexts, refers to any process that lyses or ruptures cells, particularly blood cells.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
British English prefers the spelling 'haemolyse'. The American '-yze' vs. British '-yse' spelling rule applies.
Connotations
Identical technical/clinical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare in both varieties, confined to specialist texts.
Grammar
How to Use “hemolyze” in a Sentence
[Agent] hemolyzes [Patient] (e.g., The toxin hemolyzed the cells).[Patient] hemolyzes (intransitive) (e.g., The fragile cells hemolyzed in the hypotonic solution).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hemolyze” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Certain snake venoms can rapidly haemolyse erythrocytes.
- The lab protocol was designed to haemolyse the sample gently.
American English
- The malfunctioning dialysis machine could hemolyze a patient's blood.
- Freezing and thawing will hemolyze most red blood cells.
adjective
British English
- The haemolysing agent was added dropwise.
- They observed a haemolysed blood sample.
American English
- A hemolyzing toxin was identified.
- The test tube contained hemolyzed blood.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Used in biomedical research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Core term in hematology, clinical pathology, and laboratory science.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hemolyze”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hemolyze”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hemolyze”
- Misspelling as 'hemolize'.
- Using it to describe non-blood cells without specification.
- Pronouncing the 'z' as /s/ in American English (it's /z/).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Bleed' refers to blood leaving the circulatory system (e.g., from a cut). 'Hemolyze' refers to the destruction of the red blood cells themselves, which can happen inside the body.
The noun is 'hemolysis' (US) / 'haemolysis' (UK).
While coined for blood ('hemo-'), in specialised biology it can be used analogously for other cells (e.g., 'the detergent hemolyzed the bacterial cells'), but 'lyse' is the more general term.
It often appears transparent red or cherry-red because the hemoglobin is released from the cells and dissolved in the plasma or solution.
To cause the destruction of red blood cells, resulting in the release of hemoglobin.
Hemolyze is usually technical / medical / scientific in register.
Hemolyze: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhiːmə(ʊ)lʌɪz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhiːməˌlaɪz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: HEMO (blood) + LYZE (to break apart, like in 'analyze'). It means 'to break blood apart'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would you most likely encounter the word 'hemolyze'?