lactamase

L1A1C3T1A1M3A1S1E1

noun

Any enzyme that catalyzes the opening of a lactam ring, especially one that deactivates a lactam-containing antibiotic

OriginEnglish diastase ← Ancient Greek δῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs) ← Proto-Hellenic *hístāmi →
UncommonScrabble 13
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Meanings

nounlactamase (plural lactamases)

plural lactamases

  1. biochemistryAny enzyme that catalyzes the opening of a lactam ring, especially one that deactivates a lactam-containing antibiotic

Origin

  1. Latinlac
  2. Englishlacto-
  3. GermanKeton
  4. Englishketone
  5. Englishlac(tone)
  6. Egyptianjmn
  7. Ancient GreekᾸ̓́μμων (Ắmmōn)
  8. LatinAmmōn
  9. Latinammoniacus
  10. Englishammonia
  11. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  12. Englisham(ide)
  13. Englishlactam
  14. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
  15. Proto-Indo-European*trísinflu.
  16. Proto-Indo-European*dwís
  17. Ancient Greekδιά (diá)
  18. Ancient Greekδῐᾰ- (dĭă-)
  19. Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-
  20. Proto-Indo-European*stísteh₂ti
  21. Proto-Hellenic*hístāmi
  22. Ancient Greekῐ̔́στημῐ (hĭ́stēmĭ)
  23. Ancient Greekδῐῐ̈́στημῐ (dĭĭ̈́stēmĭ)
  24. Ancient Greekδῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs)
  25. Englishdiastase
  26. Englishlactamase

From lactam + -ase.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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