Adjacent Words

catabolism definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: breakdown in living organisms of more complex substances into simpler ones together with release of energy [syn: catabolism, katabolism, dissimilation, destructive metabolism] [ant: anabolism, constructive metabolism]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Greek katabol? throwing down, from kataballein to throw down, from kata- + ballein to throw — more at devil Date: 1876 degradative metabolism involving the release of energy and resulting in the breakdown of complex materials (as proteins or lipids) within the organism — compare anabolism • catabolic adjective • catabolically adverb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. (also katabolism) Biochem. the breakdown of complex molecules in living organisms to form simpler ones with the release of energy; destructive metabolism (opp. ANABOLISM). Derivatives: catabolic adj. Etymology: Gk katabole descent f. kata down + bole f. ballo throw

Moby Thesaurus

assimilation, avatar, basal metabolism, catalysis, consubstantiation, displacement, heterotopia, metabolism, metagenesis, metamorphism, metamorphosis, metastasis, metathesis, metempsychosis, mutant, mutated form, mutation, permutation, reincarnation, sport, transanimation, transfiguration, transfigurement, transformation, transformism, translation, translocation, transmigration, transmogrification, transmutation, transposition, transubstantiation