lysis

L1Y4S1I1S1
UK/ˈlaɪsɪs/

noun

A plinth or step above the cornice of the podium in an ancient temple.

OriginLatin lysis ← Ancient Greek λῠ́σῐς (lŭ́sĭs) ← Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- →
Less commonScrabble 8
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Meanings

noun
  1. architectureA plinth or step above the cornice of the podium in an ancient temple.
  2. biochemistryThe breakdown of molecules into constituent molecules.
  3. biochemistryThe disintegration or destruction of cells.
  4. medicineA gradual recovery from disease.

    The older medicine used to speak of two ways, lysis and crisis, one gradual, the other abrupt, in which one might recover from a bodily disease.

    1902, William James, “Lecture VIII: The Divided Self, and the Process of Its Unification”, in The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature […] , New York, N.Y.; London: Longmans, Green, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 183

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*lewh₁-
  2. Ancient Greekλύω (lúō)
  3. Ancient Greekλῠ́σῐς (lŭ́sĭs)
  4. Latinlysis
  5. Englishlysis

From Latin lysis, from Ancient Greek λύσις (lúsis, “a loosening”). Compare -lysis.

More words from Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic اِنْحِلَال
  • اِنْحِلَال (inḥilāl)(chemistry) destruction of cells
Catalan lisi, lisi
  • lisi(chemistry) destruction of cells
  • lisi(medicine) gradual recovery from disease
Chinese Mandarin 溶解, 裂解
  • 溶解 (róngjiě)(chemistry) destruction of cells
  • 裂解 (lièjiě)(chemistry) destruction of cells
Czech lýza, lyze
  • lýza(chemistry) destruction of cells
  • lyze(chemistry) destruction of cells
Esperanto lizo
  • lizo(chemistry) destruction of cells
French lyse, rémission
  • lyse(chemistry) destruction of cells
  • rémission(medicine) gradual recovery from disease
German Lyse, Lysis
  • Lyse(chemistry) destruction of cells
  • Lysis(medicine) gradual recovery from disease
  • Lysen(medicine) gradual recovery from disease
Greek λύση
  • λύση (lýsi)(chemistry) destruction of cells
Portuguese lise, lise
  • lise(chemistry) destruction of cells
  • lise(medicine) gradual recovery from disease
Russian ли́зис, ли́зис
  • ли́зис (lízis)(chemistry) destruction of cells
  • ли́зис (lízis)(medicine) gradual recovery from disease
Spanish lisis
  • lisis(chemistry) destruction of cells

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with lysis

crisisphthiriasis
All rhymes →

Anagrams

Lissy
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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