lactonase

L1A1C3T1O1N1A1S1E1

noun

A metalloenzyme, produced by certain bacteria, that targets and inactivates acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs)

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

nounlactonase (countable and uncountable, plural lactonases)

plural lactonases

  1. countableuncountablebiochemistryA metalloenzyme, produced by certain bacteria, that targets and inactivates acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs)

Origin

  1. Latinlac
  2. Englishlacto-
  3. GermanKeton
  4. Englishketone
  5. Englishlactone
  6. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
  7. Proto-Indo-European*trísinflu.
  8. Proto-Indo-European*dwís
  9. Ancient Greekδιά (diá)
  10. Ancient Greekδῐᾰ- (dĭă-)
  11. Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-
  12. Proto-Indo-European*stísteh₂ti
  13. Proto-Hellenic*hístāmi
  14. Ancient Greekῐ̔́στημῐ (hĭ́stēmĭ)
  15. Ancient Greekδῐῐ̈́στημῐ (dĭĭ̈́stēmĭ)
  16. Ancient Greekδῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs)
  17. Englishdiastase
  18. Englishlactonase

From lactone + -ase.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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