Denature

Quick meaning: Denature is a verb meaning (transitive) To take away a natural characteristic or inherent property of (a thing or a person).

Meaning

(transitive) To take away a natural characteristic or inherent property of (a thing or a person).

More Meanings

1. (transitive) To add something to (alcohol) that makes it unsuitable for consumption but leaves it suitable for most other purposes.
2. (transitive, intransitive, biochemistry) To alter its original form or state, especially of a protein, by heat, acidity etc.
3. (transitive, intransitive, biochemistry) Of double-stranded DNA, specifically to split into two single strands.
4. (usually transitive, nuclear physics) To combine fissile material with nonfissile material in order to prevent its use in an atomic weapon.

Example Sentences

While you cannot drink denatured alcohol, you can still use it to remove sticker glue from most surfaces.

Because the activity of an enzyme depends on its structure, any change in that structure will destroy its effectiveness. So cooking foods sufficiently will denature and inactivate any enzymes they may contain.

Sugars are wonderfully robust materials! Unlike proteins that easily denature and coagulate, unlike fats that are damaged by air and heat and go rancid, unlike starch chains that break apart into smaller chains of glucose molecules, sugars themselves are small and stable molecules.

Word Forms

• denatures
• denaturing
• denatured
• denaturise

Synonyms for denature

Depending on context, synonyms include denaturalize.

Antonyms for denature

Common opposites include renature.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include undermine, distort, misrepresent, alter, denaturate, denaturise.

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