Meanings
plural catabolisms
- uncountableusuallybiochemistryDestructive (lytic) metabolism or metabolization, usually including the release of energy and breakdown of materials.
Synonyms: catabolisation, catabolization, catabolysis · Antonyms: anabolism
Synonyms & antonyms
nounDestructive (lytic) metabolism or metabolization, usually including the release of energy and breakdown of materials.
More synonyms by meaning
nounbreakdown in living organisms of more complex substances into simpler ones together with release of energy
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
- Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
- Proto-Indo-European*ḱm̥-th₂der.?
- Proto-Hellenic*kətá
- Ancient Greekκᾰτᾰ́ (kătắ)
- Ancient Greekκατα- (kata-)
- Proto-Indo-European*gʷelH-
- Proto-Hellenic*gʷəlnō
- Ancient Greekβάλλω (bállō)
- Ancient Greekκᾰτᾰβάλλω (kătăbállō)
- Ancient Greekκαταβολή (katabolḗ)
- Englishcatabolism
From Ancient Greek καταβολή (katabolḗ, “throwing down”), from κατά (katá, “down”) + βάλλω (bállō, “I throw”).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan catabolisme
- catabolismedestructive metabolism
Chinese Mandarin 異化作用 /异化作用
- 異化作用 /异化作用 (yìhuà zuòyòng)destructive metabolism
Czech katabolismus
- katabolismusdestructive metabolism
Finnish katabolia
- kataboliadestructive metabolism
French catabolisme
- catabolismedestructive metabolism
German Katabolismus
- Katabolismusdestructive metabolism
Greek καταβολισμός
- καταβολισμός (katavolismós)destructive metabolism
Hebrew קטבוליזם
- קטבוליזם (katabolízm)destructive metabolism
Hindi अपचय
- अपचय (apcay)destructive metabolism
Indonesian katabolisme
- katabolismedestructive metabolism
Japanese 異化, 異化作用
- 異化 (ika)destructive metabolism
- 異化作用 (ika sayō)destructive metabolism
Korean 이화, 이화작용
- 이화 (ihwa)destructive metabolism
- 이화작용 (ihwajagyong)destructive metabolism
Polish katabolizm
- katabolizmdestructive metabolism
Portuguese catabolismo
- catabolismodestructive metabolism
Russian катаболи́зм
- катаболи́зм (katabolízm)destructive metabolism
Spanish catabolismo
- catabolismodestructive metabolism
Swedish katabolism
- katabolismdestructive metabolism
Tagalog kapsira
- kapsiradestructive metabolism
Turkish katabolizma
- katabolizmadestructive metabolism
Cite this entry
catabolism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catabolism
“catabolism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catabolism. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “catabolism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catabolism.
Source: catabolism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.