urease

U1R1E1A1S1E1
/ˈjʊəɹɪeɪz//ˈjʊəɹɪeɪs//jʊˈɹiːeɪz//jʊˈɹiːeɪs/

noun

the enzyme, found in soil bacteria and some plants, that catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide

OriginEnglish diastase ← Ancient Greek δῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs) ← Proto-Hellenic *hístāmi →
UncommonScrabble 6
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Meanings

nounurease (countable and uncountable, plural ureases)

plural ureases

  1. countableuncountablechemistrythe enzyme, found in soil bacteria and some plants, that catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁wers-
  2. Ancient Greekοὐρέω (ouréō)
  3. Ancient Greekοὖρον (oûron)
  4. Frenchurée
  5. Englishurea
  6. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
  7. Proto-Indo-European*trísinflu.
  8. Proto-Indo-European*dwís
  9. Ancient Greekδιά (diá)
  10. Ancient Greekδῐᾰ- (dĭă-)
  11. Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-
  12. Proto-Indo-European*stísteh₂ti
  13. Proto-Hellenic*hístāmi
  14. Ancient Greekῐ̔́στημῐ (hĭ́stēmĭ)
  15. Ancient Greekδῐῐ̈́στημῐ (dĭĭ̈́stēmĭ)
  16. Ancient Greekδῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs)
  17. Englishdiastase
  18. Englishurease

From urea + -ase.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Spanish ureasa
  • ureasaenzyme
Cite this entry
APA

urease. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/urease

MLA

“urease.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/urease. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “urease,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/urease.

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