photoisomerize

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verb

To cause a structural change between isomers through photoexcitation

OriginEnglish isomerize ← Ancient Greek φωτο- (phōto-) ← Proto-Hellenic *pʰáwos →
Scrabble 30
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Meanings

verbphotoisomerize (third-person singular simple present photoisomerizes, present participle photoisomerizing, simple past and past participle photoisomerized)

present singular third person photoisomerizes · participle present photoisomerizing · participle past photoisomerized · past photoisomerized · alternative photoisomerise

  1. chemistryTo cause a structural change between isomers through photoexcitation

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. Englishisomerize
  9. Englishphotoisomerize

From photo- + isomerize.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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