Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Chemical change, especially decomposition, produced in an electrolyte by an electric current.
  • noun Destruction of living tissue, especially of hair roots, by means of an electric current applied with a needle-shaped electrode.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The decomposition of a chemical compound, called the electrolyte, into its constituent parts by an electric current.
  • noun In surgery, the destruction of tumors, cicatricial bands, calculi, and other pathological formations by means of the electric current.
  • noun The number of ions set free in a given time is proportional to the strength of the current The current is carried through the electrolyte by the motion of ions possessing electric charges, and the ions of each element carry an unalterable charge of electricity; increase of current therefore involves an increase in the number of ions liberated.
  • noun If the same current be passed simultaneously through several cells in series, containing different electrolytes, the weight of the ions liberated in each cell is equal to the total quantity of electricity conveyed, multiplied by the electrochemical equivalent of the ions of that cell.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Physics & Chem.) The act or process of chemical decomposition, by the action of electricity

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun chemistry the chemical change produced by passing an electric current through a conducting solution or a molten salt
  • noun the destruction of hair roots by means of an electric current

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun (chemistry) a chemical decomposition reaction produced by passing an electric current through a solution containing ions
  • noun removing superfluous or unwanted hair by passing an electric current through the hair root

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Introduced by Faraday on the suggestion of the Rev. William Whewell, from electro- + -lysis (“a loosening”). Originally of tumors, later (1909) of hair removal.

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Examples

  • As a result, electrolysis is for many a lifelong pursuit that often does not meet the clients expectations.

    Med Shirt | SciFi, Fantasy & Horror Collectibles 2009

  • The only way to repair a system with electrolysis is to remove any and all connections to the electrical system (that can be daunting in a medical building), and replace the entire piping system in the building.

    how does "grounding" pole in the ground work? 2007

  • The only way to repair a system with electrolysis is to remove any and all connections to the electrical system (that can be daunting in a medical building), and replace the entire piping system in the building.

    how does "grounding" pole in the ground work? 2007

  • The only way to repair a system with electrolysis is to remove any and all connections to the electrical system (that can be daunting in a medical building), and replace the entire piping system in the building.

    how does "grounding" pole in the ground work? 2007

  • The only way to repair a system with electrolysis is to remove any and all connections to the electrical system (that can be daunting in a medical building), and replace the entire piping system in the building.

    how does "grounding" pole in the ground work? 2007

  • The only way to repair a system with electrolysis is to remove any and all connections to the electrical system (that can be daunting in a medical building), and replace the entire piping system in the building.

    how does "grounding" pole in the ground work? 2007

  • The only way to repair a system with electrolysis is to remove any and all connections to the electrical system (that can be daunting in a medical building), and replace the entire piping system in the building.

    how does "grounding" pole in the ground work? 2007

  • They also say that electrolysis is involved ( "gas bubbles form around the electrodes indicating that an electrolytic reaction is taking place").

    Dodgy detox Ray Girvan 2004

  • They also say that electrolysis is involved ( "gas bubbles form around the electrodes indicating that an electrolytic reaction is taking place").

    Archive 2004-05-01 Ray Girvan 2004

  • The ions were supposed to be the carriers of the electric current, e.g. in electrolysis, but also of the chemical activity.

    Svante Arrhenius - Biography 1966

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