deoxyribonuclease

noun

de·​oxy·​ri·​bo·​nu·​cle·​ase (ˌ)dē-ˈäk-si-ˌrī-bō-ˈn(y)ü-klē-ˌās How to pronounce deoxyribonuclease (audio)
-ˌāz
: dnase

Examples of deoxyribonuclease in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The sensor can detect an enzyme called deoxyribonuclease, or DNase. — Sophie Bushwick, Scientific American, 19 Nov. 2021 For reasons that are not entirely understood, many strains of harmful bacteria secrete an enzyme called deoxyribonuclease. — Maddie Bender, STAT, 20 Nov. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deoxyribonuclease was in 1946

Rhymes for deoxyribonuclease

See All Rhymes for deoxyribonuclease

Browse Nearby Words

deoxypentose nucleic acid
deoxyribonuclease
deoxyribonucleic acid
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deoxyribonuclease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deoxyribonuclease. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Medical Definition

deoxyribonuclease

noun
de·​oxy·​ri·​bo·​nu·​cle·​ase (ˈ)dē-ˈäk-si-ˌrī-bō-ˈn(y)ü-klē-ˌās, -ˌāz How to pronounce deoxyribonuclease (audio)
variants also desoxyribonuclease
(ˈ)des- How to pronounce deoxyribonuclease (audio)
: an enzyme that hydrolyzes DNA to nucleotides

called also DNase

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All