What does hydrolyzable mean?
Hydrolyzable is a technical adjective meaning capable of being broken down through hydrolysis, a chemical reaction in which water reacts with a substance and causes it to split into smaller components. The word is used for compounds, chemical bonds, functional groups, and molecular structures that are susceptible to this kind of breakdown. In pharmaceuticals, for example, a hydrolyzable linker can be designed to release a drug only after encountering the appropriate chemical conditions. In biochemistry, the stability of a peptide or other bond may depend on how readily it is hydrolyzable. The term is distinct from soluble, which simply means able to dissolve, and from hydrophobic or hydrophilic, which describe a substance’s relationship with water. Hydrolyzable is therefore primarily a precise scientific term rather than an everyday synonym for water-soluble or easily destroyed.
adjectiveCapable of undergoing hydrolysis, a chemical reaction in which water breaks a substance into smaller components. The term is especially used for bonds, compounds, and substances that can be broken down by reaction with water.
- Able to be broken down by hydrolysis.
"The ester is readily hydrolyzable under acidic conditions."
"Some peptide bonds are more hydrolyzable than others because of their surrounding chemical structure."
"The researchers designed a biodegradable material with a hydrolyzable linker that releases the drug inside the body."
Hydrolyzable is the chemical label for something water can help break apart, but the reaction involves more than simple dissolution.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hydrolyzable come from?
The word is formed from hydrolysis, a term derived from Greek hydro, meaning water, and lysis, meaning a loosening or setting free. Adding the suffix -able to the related stem hydrolyz- produces an adjective expressing that something can undergo hydrolysis. The spelling hydrolyzable is common in American English, while hydrolysable is widely used in British English and other varieties.
Related word forms
How hydrolyzable is actually used
This is a technical chemistry and biochemistry term. It is commonly used with compounds, bonds, and functional groups, especially in descriptions of molecular degradation, pharmaceuticals, polymers, and biomolecules.
Easily confused with hydrolyzable
Hydrolyzable describes a substance that can be broken down by hydrolysis, whereas hydrophilic describes a substance that attracts or mixes readily with water.
Hydrolyzable refers to undergoing a chemical breakdown involving water, while hydrophobic refers to repelling water or failing to mix with it.