photocleave

P3H4O1T1O1C3L1E1A1V4E1

verb

To cleave a bond by photolysis

OriginEnglish cleave ← Ancient Greek φωτο- (phōto-) ← Proto-Hellenic *pʰáwos →
Scrabble 21
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Meanings

verbphotocleave (third-person singular simple present photocleaves, present participle photocleaving, simple past and past participle photocleaved)

present singular third person photocleaves · participle present photocleaving · participle past photocleaved · past photocleaved

  1. chemistryTo cleave a bond by photolysis

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰéh₂os
  3. Proto-Hellenic*pʰáwos
  4. Ancient Greekφᾰ́ος (phắos)
  5. Ancient Greekφῶς (phôs)
  6. Ancient Greekφωτο- (phōto-)
  7. Englishphoto-
  8. Englishcleave
  9. Englishphotocleave

From photo- + cleave.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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