lyse

/ˈlaɪz/

//ˈlaɪz// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"lyse" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lyse” is uncommon English (frequency #86,475 among 16,425 “L” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#86,475
frequency rank, English
16,425
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To burst or cut a cell or cell structure; to induce lysis.

Key facts for lyse
PropertyValue
Headwordlyse
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈlaɪz/
Letters4
Frequency rank#86,475
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lyse” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). lyse lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

lyse is uncommon English at frequency #86,475 among 16,425 “L” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈlaɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

lyse doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: Back-formation from lysis. The correct English form is lyse, spelled L-Y-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To burst or cut a cell or cell structure; to induce lysis.
  2. 2
    To break down molecularly into smaller molecules; to induce lysis.

Etymology

Back-formation from lysis.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "lyse"?
"lyse" is spelled L-Y-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlaɪz/.
What does "lyse" mean?
As a verb, "lyse" means: To burst or cut a cell or cell structure; to induce lysis.
How do you pronounce "lyse"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lyse" is /ˈlaɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "lyse"?
Back-formation from lysis. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “lyse”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-Y-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlaɪz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list