epimerase

E1P3I1M3E1R1A1S1E1

noun

Any enzyme that catalyzes the stereochemical inversion of the configuration about an asymmetric carbon atom in a substrate having more than one center of asymmetry.

OriginEnglish diastase ← Ancient Greek δῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs) →
UncommonScrabble 13
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Meanings

nounepimerase (plural epimerases)

plural epimerases

  1. biochemistryAny enzyme that catalyzes the stereochemical inversion of the configuration about an asymmetric carbon atom in a substrate having more than one center of asymmetry.

Origin

  1. Englishepi-
  2. Englishepimer
  3. Ancient Greekδῐῐ̈́στημῐ (dĭĭ̈́stēmĭ)
  4. Ancient Greekδῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs)
  5. Englishdiastase
  6. Englishepimerase

From epimer + -ase.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish epimeraasi
  • epimeraasienzyme
Spanish epimerasa
  • epimerasaenzyme
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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