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phosphatase

noun
phos·​pha·​tase | \ ˈfäs-fə-ˌtās How to pronounce phosphatase (audio) , -ˌtāz\

Definition of phosphatase

: an enzyme that accelerates the hydrolysis and synthesis of organic esters of phosphoric acid and the transfer of phosphate groups to other compounds:
a : alkaline phosphatase
b : acid phosphatase

Examples of phosphatase in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 So Halámek and his team focused on levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), an enzyme found in blood, to determine age. — National Geographic, "We Can Now Tell a Person’s Age Range From Crime Scene Blood," 29 June 2016 You're stumped because of all the protein phosphatase 1 coursing through your brain. — Brendan I. Koerner, WIRED, "The Super Power Issue8 Super Powers," 1 Aug. 2003

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'phosphatase.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of phosphatase

1912, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for phosphatase

phosphatase

noun
phos·​pha·​tase | \ ˈfäs-fə-ˌtās, -ˌtāz How to pronounce phosphatase (audio) \

Medical Definition of phosphatase

: an enzyme that accelerates the hydrolysis and synthesis of organic esters of phosphoric acid and the transfer of phosphate groups to other compounds:
a : alkaline phosphatase
b : acid phosphatase

More from Merriam-Webster on phosphatase

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about phosphatase

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