Dictionary definitions
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catabolism
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Metabolism \Me*tab"o*lism\, n. (Physiol.)
1. The act or process, by which living tissues or cells take
up and convert into their own proper substance the
nutritive material brought to them by the blood, or by
which they transform their cell protoplasm into simpler
substances, which are fitted either for excretion or for
some special purpose, as in the manufacture of the
digestive enzymes. Hence, metabolism may be either
constructive (anabolism), or destructive (catabolism).
[1913 Webster]
2. (Biol.) The series of chemical changes which take place in
an organism, by means of which food is manufactured and
utilized and waste materials are eliminated.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Disassimilation \Dis`as*sim`i*la"tion\, n. (Physics) The decomposition of complex substances, within the organism, into simpler ones suitable only for excretion, with evolution of energy, -- a normal nutritional process the reverse of assimilation; downward metabolism; -- now more commonly called catabolism. [1913 Webster +PJC] The breaking down of already existing chemical compounds into simpler ones, sometimes called disassimilation. --Martin. [1913 Webster] .
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
catabolism \catabolism\ n. the breakdown of more complex substances into simpler ones with release of energy, in living organisms; destructive or downward metabolism; -- a form of metabolism, opposed to anabolism. See also Disassimilation. [Formerly spelled katabolism.] Syn: katabolism, dissimilation, destructive metabolism. [WordNet 1.5]
