glycerolysis

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noun

Any reaction of an ester with glycerol, but especially the reaction of triglycerides with glycerol to form monoglycerides and diglycerides

OriginAncient Greek λῠ́σῐς (lŭ́sĭs) ← Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- ← English glycerol →
Scrabble 21
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Meanings

nounglycerolysis (uncountable)
  1. uncountablechemistryAny reaction of an ester with glycerol, but especially the reaction of triglycerides with glycerol to form monoglycerides and diglycerides

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekγλῠκερός (glŭkerós)
  2. Frenchglycérine
  3. Englishglycerine
  4. Akkadian𒎎𒋆𒁉𒍣𒁕 (guḫlum)
  5. Aramaicכוחלא (kuḥlā)
  6. Arabicكُحْل (kuḥl)
  7. Andalusian Arabicكُحُول (kuḥūl)
  8. Medieval Latinalcoho
  9. Middle Englishalcofol
  10. Englishalcohol
  11. Englishglycerol
  12. Proto-Indo-European*lewh₁-
  13. Ancient Greekλύω (lúō)
  14. Ancient Greekλῠ́σῐς (lŭ́sĭs)
  15. Englishglycerolysis

From glycerol + -lysis.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

glycerolysis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glycerolysis

MLA

“glycerolysis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glycerolysis. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “glycerolysis,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glycerolysis.

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