electrolysis
|e-lec-tro-ly-sis|
🇺🇸
/ɪˌlɛkˈtrɑːləsɪs/
🇬🇧
/ɪˌlɛkˈtrɒləsɪs/
separation/decomposition by electricity
Etymology
'electrolysis' originates from New Latin/Greek elements: the combining form 'electro-' from Greek 'ēlektron' meaning 'amber' (associated with static/electric phenomena) and the suffix '-lysis' from Greek 'lusis' meaning 'a loosening' or 'release'.
'electrolysis' entered scientific English in the 19th century, formed by analogy with terms like 'electro-chemical' and via adoption of the French 'électrolyse' / German 'Elektrolyse' into English as 'electrolysis'.
Originally coined to mean 'separation or decomposition by electricity', the term has retained that core sense in chemistry and has also come to denote the cosmetic process of hair removal by electric current.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a chemical decomposition produced by passing an electric current through a liquid or solution containing ions (e.g., the breaking down of water into hydrogen and oxygen).
Electrolysis of salt water produces chlorine at the anode and hydrogen at the cathode.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a cosmetic or medical procedure that removes unwanted hair by destroying hair follicles with an electric current (also called electroepilation or electrolysis hair removal).
She chose electrolysis to remove the small, stubborn hairs on her upper lip.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/21 19:08