Immunology, Biochemistry. the dissolution or destruction of cells by lysins.
Medicine/Medical. the gradual recession of a disease.
the destruction or dissolution of cells by the action of a particular lysin
med the gradual reduction in severity of the symptoms of a disease
1815–25; < New Latin < Greek lýsis a loosening, releasing, equivalent to ly-, variant stem of lȳ́ ( ein ) to loosen, release + -sis -sis
From Greek; see origin at lysis
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Together, these experiments identified LypABC as a control mechanism for GTA-mediated cell lysis.
From Science Daily • Apr. 17, 2026
The paper is titled "Convergent MurJ flippase inhibition by phage lysis proteins."
From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2026
And then there’s the fourth moment, which is what Jung called the lysis, where the energy of your life wants to go.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2024
The natural killer cells in the recipient will identify the MHC I molecules on transplanted organ as non-self proteins, causing lysis of transplanted cells.
From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022
The older medicine used to speak of two ways, lysis and crisis, one gradual, the other abrupt, in which one might recover from a bodily disease.
From Varieties of Religious Experience, a Study in Human Nature by James, William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
