autodigestion
|au-to-di-ges-tion|
🇺🇸
/ˌɔːtoʊdaɪˈdʒɛstʃən/
🇬🇧
/ˌɔːtədaɪˈdʒɛstʃən/
self-digestion
Etymology
'autodigestion' originates from Greek and Latin, specifically from Greek 'autos' where 'autos' meant 'self' and Latin 'digestio' (from 'digerere') where 'digerere' meant 'to separate, to digest'.
'autodigestion' was formed in Modern English by combining the Greek prefix 'auto-' with the English word 'digestion' (itself from Latin 'digestio'), and it entered medical and biological usage in the 19th century to describe self-digestion phenomena.
Initially it referred literally to 'self-digestion' in biological and medical contexts; over time the primary meaning has remained while metaphorical uses (internal self-destruction of systems) have also developed.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the process by which an organism's or tissue's own enzymes digest its cells or tissues; self-digestion, especially in a pathological context (e.g., pancreatic autodigestion).
Autodigestion of the pancreas by its own enzymes is a key feature of acute pancreatitis.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the breakdown of a substance by enzymes that it or the same system produces (biochemical self-degradation).
Improper storage led to autodigestion of the sample by endogenous enzymes.
Synonyms
Noun 3
a figurative use: the process of an organization, system, or institution destroying itself by internal forces or dysfunction.
Many analysts described the company's collapse as a form of autodigestion driven by infighting and poor governance.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/25 04:16