cholinesterase

[ koh-luh-nes-tuh-reys, -reyz, kol-uh- ]
/ ˌkoʊ ləˈnɛs təˌreɪs, -ˌreɪz, ˌkɒl ə- /

noun Biochemistry.

an enzyme, found especially in the heart, brain, and blood, that hydrolyzes acetylcholine to acetic acid and choline.

Origin of cholinesterase

First recorded in 1930–35; choline + esterase

Words nearby cholinesterase

cholinergic, cholinergic blockade, cholinergic fiber, cholinergic receptor, cholinergic urticaria, cholinesterase, cholinesterase inhibitor, cholinoceptive, cholinolytic, cholinomimetic, cholinoreactive

British Dictionary definitions for cholinesterase

cholinesterase
/ (ˌkəʊlɪˈnɛstəˌreɪs, ˌkɒl-) /

noun

an enzyme that hydrolyses acetylcholine to choline and acetic acid

Medical definitions for cholinesterase

cholinesterase
[ kō′lə-nĕs′tə-rās′, -rāz′ ]

n.

An enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of choline esters chiefly at nerve terminals, where it hydrolyzes and inactivates acetylcholine. acetylcholinesterase