Definitions

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

  • noun An enzyme occurring in certain yeasts and in the intestinal juices of mammals and catalyzing the hydrolysis of lactose into glucose and galactose.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A ferment which inverts lactose to dextrose and galactose.

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

  • noun biochemistry A β-galactosidase enzyme that is involved in the hydrolysis of the disaccharide lactose into constituent galactose and glucose monomers.

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

  • noun any of a group of enzymes (trade name Lactaid) that hydrolyze lactose to glucose and galactose

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Usually lactose intolerant means that the enzyme lactase is missing or in small quantities.

    Words Fail Me Steve Carper 2008

  • Those with celiac disease often become lactose intolerant because the disease affects the inner lining of the intestine where lactase is made.

    A Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Dinner Steve Carper 2008

  • (Lactose intolerance has proven intractable because the lack of lactase is not reversible.)

    Archive 2007-04-01 Steve Carper 2007

  • [I] f babies aren't given milk after weaning, their intestines think lactase is no longer needed and intolerance is the result.

    Archive 2007-01-01 Steve Carper 2007

  • Has anyone done any research on how much lactase is needed to balance out 1 gram of lactose?

    Answers to Questions from Readers, part 2 Steve Carper 2007

  • But since I had years of being lactose intolerant before lactase pills came on the market, I can safely say that lactase is the closest equivalent to a wonder drug ever marketed.

    Lactase Can Help. Tell Your Doctor Steve Carper 2007

  • But since I had years of being lactose intolerant before lactase pills came on the market, I can safely say that lactase is the closest equivalent to a wonder drug ever marketed.

    Archive 2007-08-01 Steve Carper 2007

  • [I] f babies aren't given milk after weaning, their intestines think lactase is no longer needed and intolerance is the result.

    "Rubbish" Says Dr. Miriam Steve Carper 2007

  • (Lactose intolerance has proven intractable because the lack of lactase is not reversible.)

    Lactagen: The Big Update Steve Carper 2007

  • The loss of lactase is genetically regulated only.

    Answers to Questions from Readers, part 4 Steve Carper 2007

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