an enzyme that speeds up the removal or addition of water from a substance in a chemical reaction
hydrase in American English
(ˈhaidreis, -dreiz)
noun
Biochemistry
any of the class of enzymes that catalyze the addition of a water molecule into a compound without causing hydrolysis
Word origin
[1940–45; hydr-1 + -ase]This word is first recorded in the period 1940–45. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: black box, blockbuster, sealant, silkscreen, updatehydr- is a combining form meaning “water,” used in the formation of compound words. Otherwords that use the affix hydr- include: hydragogue, hydrant, hydrate, hydronic, hydrous; -ase is a suffix used in the names of enzymes. Other words that use the affix -ase include: amylase, invertase, oxidase, peroxidase, reverse transcriptase