dehydrogenase

D2E1H4Y4D2R1O1G2E1N1A1S1E1
UK/diːˌhaɪdˈɹɒdʒəneɪz/

noun

Any of several enzymes that catalyze the removal of hydrogen (a proton) from biological compounds.

Similar
dehydrase
OriginEnglish diastase ← Ancient Greek δῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs) ← Proto-Hellenic *hístāmi →
Less commonScrabble 22
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

noundehydrogenase (plural dehydrogenases)

plural dehydrogenases

  1. biochemistryAny of several enzymes that catalyze the removal of hydrogen (a proton) from biological compounds.

    This led to a search in the filtrate for a dehydrogenase which should activate lactate in preference to the other three substances.

    1928, Marjory Stephenson, “On lactic dehydrogenase: A cell-free enzyme preparation obtained from bacteria”, in Biochemical Journal
    1 more example

    Our stomachs and livers have an enzyme known as alcohol dehydrogenase that breaks down ethanol to make it less toxic for our bodies, said Atlanta gastroenterologist Dr. Preston Stewart.

    2012 September 26, Jacque Wilson, “Experts: Alcohol enemas ‘extremely dangerous’”, in CNN

    Synonyms: dehydrase

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAny of several enzymes that catalyze the removal of hydrogen (a proton) from biological compounds.

Similar
dehydrase

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*de
  2. Proto-Indo-European*déh₁
  3. Proto-Italic*dē
  4. Latindē
  5. Latindē-
  6. Englishde-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*wed-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*wódr̥
  9. Proto-Hellenic*údōr
  10. Ancient Greekῡ̆̔́δωρ (hū̆́dōr)
  11. Ancient Greekὑδρο- (hudro-)
  12. Frenchhydro-
  13. Proto-Indo-European*ǵenh₁-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*ǵénh₁os
  15. Proto-Hellenic*génos
  16. Ancient Greekγένος (génos)
  17. Frenchhydrogène
  18. Englishhydrogen
  19. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
  20. Proto-Indo-European*trísinflu.
  21. Proto-Indo-European*dwís
  22. Ancient Greekδιά (diá)
  23. Ancient Greekδῐᾰ- (dĭă-)
  24. Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-
  25. Proto-Indo-European*stísteh₂ti
  26. Proto-Hellenic*hístāmi
  27. Ancient Greekῐ̔́στημῐ (hĭ́stēmĭ)
  28. Ancient Greekδῐῐ̈́στημῐ (dĭĭ̈́stēmĭ)
  29. Ancient Greekδῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs)
  30. Englishdiastase
  31. Englishdehydrogenase

From de- + hydrogen + -ase.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 脫氫酶 /脱氢酶
  • 脫氫酶 /脱氢酶 (tuōqīngméi)enzyme
Finnish dehydrogenaasi
  • dehydrogenaasienzyme
French déshydrogénase
  • déshydrogénaseenzyme
German Dehydrogenase
  • Dehydrogenaseenzyme
Greek αφυδρογονάση
  • αφυδρογονάση (afydrogonási)enzyme
Hungarian dehidrogenáz
  • dehidrogenázenzyme
Italian deidrogenasi
  • deidrogenasienzyme
Japanese 脱水素酵素, デヒドロゲナーゼ
  • 脱水素酵素 (datsusuiso kōso)enzyme
  • デヒドロゲナーゼ (dehidorogenāze)enzyme
Polish dehydrogenaza
  • dehydrogenazaenzyme
Vietnamese đêhiđrogenaza
  • đêhiđrogenazaenzyme
Cite this entry
APA

dehydrogenase. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dehydrogenase

MLA

“dehydrogenase.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dehydrogenase. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dehydrogenase,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dehydrogenase.

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