autolyze

A1U1T1O1L1Y4Z10E1

verb

To destroy itself: to be destroyed by its own enzymes.

OriginEnglish lyze ← Ancient Greek αὐτο- (auto-) ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew →
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Meanings

verbautolyze (third-person singular simple present autolyzes, present participle autolyzing, simple past and past participle autolyzed)

present singular third person autolyzes · participle present autolyzing · participle past autolyzed · past autolyzed · alternative UK autolyse

  1. USbiologyTo destroy itself: to be destroyed by its own enzymes.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ew
  2. Proto-Indo-European*tó-
  3. Proto-Hellenic*autós
  4. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ew
  5. Ancient Greekαὖ (aû)
  6. Ancient Greekτόν (tón)
  7. Ancient Greekαὐτός (autós)
  8. Ancient Greekαὐτο- (auto-)
  9. Englishauto-
  10. Englishlyze
  11. Englishautolyze

From auto- + lyze.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Polish autolizować
  • autolizowaćTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

autolyze. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/autolyze

MLA

“autolyze.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/autolyze. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “autolyze,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/autolyze.

Source: autolyze on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.