heat-unstable
|heat/un/stable|
/hiːt-ʌnˈsteɪbəl/
sensitive to heat
Etymology
The term 'heat-unstable' is a compound word formed from 'heat' and 'unstable'. 'Heat' originates from Old English 'hǣtu', meaning 'warmth', and 'unstable' comes from Latin 'instabilis', meaning 'not firm'.
The concept of 'heat-unstable' has been used in scientific contexts to describe substances that change properties when heated.
Initially, it referred to any substance that changed with heat, but now it is often used in scientific contexts to describe specific chemical or biological instability.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not stable when exposed to heat; prone to change or degrade when heated.
The enzyme is heat-unstable and loses its activity at high temperatures.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/01/21 13:19