What does autolytic mean?
Autolytic is a technical adjective describing self-digestion: the breakdown of a cell or tissue by enzymes produced within that cell or tissue. In biology and medicine, the term is associated with cellular decomposition, tissue degeneration, and autolytic cell death. It is especially used when emphasizing that the destructive process comes from the body's or cell's own chemical mechanisms rather than from an external pathogen or injury. The word is uncommon in everyday English and should generally be reserved for scientific or medical contexts. Autolytic breakdown can be a normal part of removing damaged cells, while excessive or uncontrolled autolytic activity may contribute to disease. The related noun autolysis names the process itself, and autolyse is a verb meaning to undergo self-digestion.
adjectiveOf or relating to autolysis, the digestion or breakdown of cells or tissues by their own enzymes. The term can also describe processes or substances involved in self-digestion.
- Relating to or involving the digestion or breakdown of cells or tissues by their own enzymes.
"Autolytic breakdown helps remove damaged cells through the action of the cells' own enzymes."
"Autolytic enzymes break down cellular components after a cell is damaged or dies."
"The investigation focused on the role of autolytic activity in tissue degeneration."
Your cells can sometimes digest themselves: “autolytic” is the precise term for this remarkable process.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does autolytic come from?
The word comes from Greek autos, meaning “self,” and lytikos, meaning “dissolving” or “able to dissolve.” Its formation follows the related English noun autolysis, which denotes self-digestion or self-dissolution. English also has the verbs autolyse and autolyze, while terms such as lysis and hydrolytic belong to the same etymological family of words associated with dissolving or chemical breakdown.
Related word forms
How autolytic is actually used
This is a specialized biological and medical term, not a general synonym for psychological self-destruction. It is most often used in discussions of cell biology, pathology, and tissue breakdown.