catabolism
/kəˈtæbəlɪzəm/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 2.05 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
5
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Destructive (lytic) metabolism or metabolization, usually including the release of energy and breakdown of materials.
Uncountable
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Indo-European *ḱm̥-th₂der.? Proto-Hellenic *kətá Ancient Greek κᾰτᾰ́ (kătắ) Ancient Greek κατα- (kata-) Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH-der. Proto-Hellenic *gʷəlnō Ancient Greek βάλλω (bállō) Ancient Greek κᾰτᾰβάλλω (kătăbállō) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-ā́ Ancient Greek -ᾱ (-ā) Ancient Greek -η (-ē) Ancient Greek καταβολή (katabolḗ)bor. English catabolism From Ancient Greek καταβολή (katabolḗ, “throwing down”), from κατά (katá, “down”) + βάλλω (bállō, “I throw”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: καταβολή