hydrolase
C2Technical/Scientific
Definition
Meaning
Any enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of a chemical bond.
A broad class of enzymes that break down molecules by adding water, essential in digestion, metabolism, and various industrial processes.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is a functional classification (describing what the enzyme does) rather than a structural one. Often forms part of a specific enzyme name (e.g., lactase, protease).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
None beyond the strict scientific definition.
Frequency
Equally rare in general language, used exclusively in biochemistry, biology, and related technical fields in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[hydrolase] + [preposition] + [noun phrase] (e.g., hydrolase acting on esters)[specific] + [hydrolase] (e.g., glycoside hydrolase)[hydrolase] + [enzyme commission number] (e.g., hydrolase EC 3.2.1.1)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might appear in biotech/pharma reports (e.g., 'The company is developing a novel hydrolase for industrial cleaning.')
Academic
Primary context. Common in biochemistry, molecular biology, and pharmacology textbooks and research papers.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Standard term in laboratory manuals, enzyme catalogs, and process descriptions in biotechnology.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The protein was hydrolased by the enzyme mixture.
- Researchers aim to hydrolase the polymer efficiently.
American English
- The protein was hydrolyzed by the enzyme mixture.
- Researchers aim to hydrolyze the polymer efficiently.
adverb
British English
- The bond was cleaved hydrolatically (rare).
American English
- The bond was cleaved hydrolytically.
adjective
British English
- The hydrolase activity was measured spectrophotometrically.
- A key hydrolase function is peptide bond cleavage.
American English
- The hydrolytic activity was measured spectrophotometrically.
- A key hydrolytic function is peptide bond cleavage.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Lactase is a hydrolase that breaks down milk sugar.
- Many digestive enzymes belong to the hydrolase family.
- The novel glycoside hydrolase exhibited remarkable thermal stability.
- The mechanism proceeds via a covalent hydrolase-substrate intermediate.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: HYDRO (water) + LASE (like 'erase' or 'amylase'). A hydrolase 'erases' bonds using water.
Conceptual Metaphor
A molecular pair of scissors that uses water as its cutting fluid.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'гидролаза' (the direct equivalent, correct). Avoid calquing as 'водная лазер' (water laser) or similar nonsense.
Common Mistakes
- Mispronouncing the final syllable as '-lace' (like the fabric) instead of '-laze/lace' (like 'amylase').
- Using it as a general term for any enzyme.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a hydrolase?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a broad class or category of enzymes that share the same function (catalyzing hydrolysis). Specific examples include amylase, lipase, and protease.
The suffix '-ase' is used to form the names of enzymes. It indicates that the word refers to a protein catalyst.
It is highly unlikely and would sound very technical. In everyday contexts, you would use the name of a specific enzyme (e.g., 'lactase' for digesting lactose) or a general term like 'digestive enzyme'.
The opposite action is condensation or synthesis, where a bond is formed with the release of a water molecule. Enzymes that catalyze such reactions are often synthases or ligases.