nickase

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noun

Any enzyme that causes nicks (breaks in one strand) of nucleic acid, allowing it to unwind

OriginEnglish diastase ← Ancient Greek δῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs) →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

nounnickase (plural nickases)

plural nickases

  1. biochemistryAny enzyme that causes nicks (breaks in one strand) of nucleic acid, allowing it to unwind

Origin

  1. Englishnick
  2. Ancient Greekδῐῐ̈́στημῐ (dĭĭ̈́stēmĭ)
  3. Ancient Greekδῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs)
  4. Englishdiastase
  5. Englishnickase

From nick + -ase.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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