photolyase

P3H4O1T1O1L1Y4A1S1E1

noun

An enzyme that repairs DNA that has been damaged by light.

OriginEnglish lyase ← Ancient Greek φωτο- (phōto-) ← Proto-Hellenic *pʰáwos →
RareScrabble 18
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Meanings

nounphotolyase (countable and uncountable, plural photolyases)

plural photolyases

  1. countableuncountablebiochemistryAn enzyme that repairs DNA that has been damaged by light.

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. Englishlyase
  9. Englishphotolyase

From photo- + lyase.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Irish fótaláis
  • fótaláisan enzyme that repairs DNA that has been damaged by light
Italian fotoliasi
  • fotoliasian enzyme that repairs DNA that has been damaged by light
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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