Meanings
plural luciferases
- biochemistryAny one of a group of enzymes that produce bioluminescence by oxidizing luciferin.
Aptly enough, glowworms light up their underworld with a pair of chemicals that have a satanic etymology—luciferins and luciferases, after the Latin for “light bringer.”
2017 October 6, Ed Yong, “The Most Beautiful Death Trap”, in The Atlantic1 more example
The novel coronavirus vaccine manufactured by Moderna does not contain luciferin, an organic compound involved in bioluminescence, or the enzyme luciferase, contrary to claims on social media.
2021 May 6, “Fact Check-Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine does not contain luciferin or luciferase”, in Reuters
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*lewk-
- Proto-Indo-European*léwks
- Proto-Italic*louks
- Latinlūx
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰer-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰorós
- Latinlūcifer
- Englishluciferin
- Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
- Proto-Indo-European*trísinflu.
- Proto-Indo-European*dwís
- Ancient Greekδιά (diá)
- Ancient Greekδῐᾰ- (dĭă-)
- Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-
- Proto-Indo-European*stísteh₂ti
- Proto-Hellenic*hístāmi
- Ancient Greekῐ̔́στημῐ (hĭ́stēmĭ)
- Ancient Greekδῐῐ̈́στημῐ (dĭĭ̈́stēmĭ)
- Ancient Greekδῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs)
- Englishdiastase
- Englishluciferase
Translations
Esperanto luciferazo
- luciferazobiochemistry: any one of a group of enzymes that produce bioluminescence by oxidizing luciferin
Finnish lusiferaasi
- lusiferaasibiochemistry: any one of a group of enzymes that produce bioluminescence by oxidizing luciferin
French luciférase
- luciférasebiochemistry: any one of a group of enzymes that produce bioluminescence by oxidizing luciferin
Polish lucyferaza
- lucyferazabiochemistry: any one of a group of enzymes that produce bioluminescence by oxidizing luciferin
Cite this entry
luciferase. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/luciferase
“luciferase.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/luciferase. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “luciferase,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/luciferase.
Source: luciferase on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.