AUTOLYSIS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does autolysis mean? 

• AUTOLYSIS (noun)
  The noun AUTOLYSIS has 1 sense:

1. lysis of plant or animal tissue by an internal process

  Familiarity information: AUTOLYSIS used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• AUTOLYSIS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Lysis of plant or animal tissue by an internal process

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Synonyms:

autolysis; self-digestion

Hypernyms ("autolysis" is a kind of...):

lysis ((biochemistry) dissolution or destruction of cells such as blood cells or bacteria)

Derivation:

autolytic (of or relating to self-digestion)

 Context examples 

A specimen that has undergone autolysis, or self-digestion by the specimen's own digestive enzymes.

(Autolized Specimen, NCI Thesaurus)