Haemolyse

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To cause red blood cells to rupture and release their hemoglobin into the surrounding fluid
2. To break down the membrane of red blood cells so that their contents spill into the plasma or solution
3. To destroy the integrity of erythrocytes, allowing hemoglobin to escape into the medium

Etymology: Blood and loosening are the two Greek ideas packed into this term. "Haima" meant blood, and "lysis" meant a loosening or release, from the verb "lyein," to undo or dissolve. Put together, they describe the bursting or dissolving of red blood cells, a process that the term names directly. The verb is a modern back-formation from the noun "haemolysis," built on the same pattern as "analyse" from "analysis." That makes it a close cousin of "analyse," since both end in the Greek "lysis," meaning a breaking-down or unloosing. The British spelling "haemo-" keeps the Greek diphthong, while American usage usually writes "hemo-."

Synonyms: hemolyze, lyse