ligase

L1I1G2A1S1E1
UK/ˈlɪɡeɪz/US/ˈlaɪɡeɪz/

noun

Any of a group of enzymes that catalyze the binding of two molecules; synthetase.

Less commonScrabble 7
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounligase (plural ligases)

plural ligases

  1. biochemistryAny of a group of enzymes that catalyze the binding of two molecules; synthetase.

    The glue is an enzyme called ligase, which stitches together loose sentences of DNA whenever it comes across them.

    1999, Matt Ridley, Genome, Harper Perennial, published 2004, page 244

Origin

From ligation + -ase.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 聯結酶 /联结酶, 連接酶 /连接酶
  • 聯結酶 /联结酶 (liánjiéméi)enzyme
  • 連接酶 /连接酶 (liánjiēméi)enzyme
Finnish ligaasi
  • ligaasienzyme
French ligase
  • ligaseenzyme
German Ligase
  • Ligaseenzyme
Greek δεσμάση
  • δεσμάση (desmási)enzyme
Indonesian ligase
  • ligaseenzyme
Italian ligasi
  • ligasienzyme
Japanese リガーゼ
  • リガーゼ (rigāze)enzyme
Korean 연결 효소, 라이게이스
  • 연결 효소 (yeon'gyeol hyoso)enzyme
  • 라이게이스 (raigeiseu)enzyme
  • 리게이스 (rigeiseu)enzyme
Persian لیگاز
  • لیگازenzyme
Polish ligaza
  • ligazaenzyme
Portuguese ligase
  • ligaseenzyme
Spanish ligasa
  • ligasaenzyme
Turkish ligaz, ligazlar
  • ligazenzyme
  • ligazlarenzyme
Vietnamese ligaza
  • ligazaenzyme

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

silageSiegalGailesSeliga
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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